More Than $1 Million Given to Students Pursuing Long-term, Rewarding Careers in the Restaurant Industry in 2014
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2014 — The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) opened the application process for its 2015 merit-based scholarships today. Multiple scholarships, with awards ranging from $1,750 – $10,000, are available for educators and students pursuing dynamic and enriching long-term careers in the restaurant industry. The NRAEF awarded more than $1 million in scholarships in 2014.
“The NRAEF has partnered with industry leaders across every segment of the restaurant sector to offer a variety of scholarships that are representative of the diverse array of long-term, rewarding careers available to students,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president, strategic operations and philanthropy for the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
“The NRAEF’s scholarship program enables students to pursue post-secondary education and training to help them access upwardly mobile careers in the restaurant industry. We are grateful for all the donors who have contributed generously to help grow our scholarship program to support the future of our industry.”
Students can apply for scholarships in a variety of areas. Some areas of interest include:
– Culinary arts
– Business and entrepreneurship
– Marketing
– Restaurant and foodservice management
– Supply chain management
– Viticulture
– Hospitality, travel and tourism
Additionally, the NRAEF offers scholarships for students with disabilities or attending specific schools, such as the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University and Purdue University, among others. Specific scholarships also are available for residents of Illinois and California. In addition, some State Restaurant Associations offer scholarships.
For more information on available scholarships, visit www.nraef.org/NRAEF-Scholarships.
Scholarship applications will be accepted between December 3, 2014 and May 27, 2015, with some exceptions including the David R. Parsley Endowed Scholarship Fund for Supply Chain Management, which has a deadline of March 30, 2015.
Total restaurant and foodservice employment is projected to grow by 11 percent over the next 10 years and the NRAEF is committed to ensuring the development of a highly-trained and professional talent pool through scholarships and educational programs such as ProStart. With national and local support from industry members, educators, the NRAEF and state restaurant associations, ProStart is taught to students across 49 states, Guam and on Department of Defense military bases.
For more information on the ProStart program, visit www.nraef.org/prostart or find us on Twitter or Facebook.
About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation:
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF exists to enhance the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NRAEF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry. The restaurant and foodservice industry comprises 980,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 13 million employees, making it one of the nation’s largest employers. For more information on the NRAEF, visit NRAEF.org.
