The California Jewelers Association has selected Cynthia Gilbert of Gary Hill Jewelers, Orange, Calif., as the winner of the 2002 Robert B. Westover GIA Scholarship. CJA established the scholarship to honor the longtime CJA executive vice president, who retired in 1988.

Gilbert became a full-time employee at Gary Hill Jewelers in 2001, but had her first taste of gemstones in high school lapidary classes. She worked in the nursing profession for 23 years, specializing in in-home hospice care, but maintained her interest in gems.

A few years ago, Gilbert began designing her own line of jewelry and enrolled in the GIA Diamond Course. She plans to use the scholarship to take the GIA Colored Stone Class and continue her quest toward becoming a Certified Gemologist while working at Gary Hill Jewelers.

For information about CJA, call (213) 623-5722 or visit www.CaliforniaJewelers.org.