On May 7, Johnson & Wales’s College of Hospitality Management and the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF), the charitable giving arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), surprised six hospitality students with scholarships for the 2019-2020 school year at an exclusive reception on the Johnson & Wales-Providence campus in Rhode Island.
This year, AHLEF awarded $1.3 million in scholarships to 344 students in 33 states and Washington, D.C. More than 45 percent of the total recipients are minority students and nearly 75 percent are female.
Across three of Johnson & Wales’ campuses—Providence, Denver, and Charlotte—and its online program, students secured more AHLEF scholarships than any other school, receiving more than $100,000 in scholarships. At Johnson & Wales-Providence, 10 scholarship recipients received a total of $49,500.
Johnson & Wales University offers a range of degree programs in the College of Hospitality Management that are designed to help students build a career in the ever-expanding, multi-billion-dollar hospitality industry.
AHLEF administers nine scholarship programs, with awards valued up to $7,500, for students enrolled in hospitality-related bachelor or graduate degree programs at colleges and universities across the country. AHLEF received and evaluated more than 1,200 applications based on academics, financial need, relevant work experience, extracurricular activities, personal attributes, and a passion for pursuing a career in the hotel and lodging industry.
“As students navigate a highly competitive job market, we’re honored to provide pathways to a lifelong career in hospitality. There’s enormous opportunity for people to excel in our industry, and it’s our job to open those doors,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLEF President. “We are pleased to welcome the deserving Johnson & Wales-Providence scholarship recipients into the incredible hospitality family.”
Since its founding, AHLEF has distributed more than $15 million in scholarship funds to promising hospitality management students across the nation to educate the next generation of hospitality professionals.
