Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Names Inaugural Winners of Scholarships Honoring Janice Christiansen, Longtime Leader of FlagSource

Awards Will Support Women Pursing Careers in STEM and Business

 SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) has named the inaugural winners of the Janice M. Christiansen Female in STEM and Female in Business Scholarships. Endowed by the IMA in 2023 to support young women who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, math and business, the scholarships posthumously honor Christiansen, the first woman to Chair the IMA Board of Directors.

Christiansen, who passed away in 2023, built an amazing legacy as president and CEO of FlagSource/J.C. Schultz Enterprises. A manufacturing icon popularly known as the “Flag Lady,” Christiansen’s achievements included installing the largest embroidery machine in the world to make the star fields for American flags and adding direct-to-fabric digital printers for other items. The scholarships will be presented during a ceremony at FlagSource in Batavia on June 14 to celebrate her legacy and honor the Stars and Stripes on Flag Day.

“Janice worked tirelessly to advance manufacturing and had a unique understanding of the promise the industry held, particularly for women who are often underrepresented,” said Sarah Hartwick, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the IMA Educational Foundation. “We are proud to award these scholarships to two women who reflect her pioneering spirit and represent the bright future of manufacturing in Illinois.”

The scholarship winners are:

Farwah Husain (Janice Christiansen Female in STEM Scholarship): Husain graduated from Maine West High School in Des Plaines and is currently a student majoring in Accountancy and Data Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

 Kevy Carrillo (Janice Christiansen Female in Business Scholarship): Carrillo is an employee at Trim-Tex, Inc., and is interested in small businesses and enthusiastic about workforce development, including sustainable business practices that can lead to environmental and socially responsible job growth. She is a student majoring in Business Administration at the University of Phoenix.

“Presenting these scholarships is a special opportunity for us to honor my mom, who dedicated herself to mentoring and encouraging young women to become leaders,” said Spencer Christiansen, President of FlagSource. “This is a meaningful way to continue her legacy by helping the next generation of manufacturing professionals achieve their goals. We offer our heartfelt congratulations to the winners as they embark on their career journeys.”

Each scholarship includes a one-time award of $3,750. To qualify, applicants must be women who reside in Illinois and are applying for enrollment or are currently enrolled in an Illinois institution of higher education and are enrolled in a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) course. The IMA also administers the Janice M. Christiansen Leadership Award, which was established to recognize a woman leader, trailblazer and mentor in the manufacturing industry.