Also Releases Student Member Benefits Such as Discounts, Loan Program, and Extended Membership
Providing students financial assistance to pursue a career in hospitality sales and marketing, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has announced applications are now available for the 2005 HSMAI Foundation Scholarship, sponsored by American Express.
The HSMAI Foundation, which has been providing scholarships since 1983, will provide four scholarships this year: two $2,000 merit scholarships will be awarded to full-time students in the Baccalaureate or Graduate Degree Candidate category and two $500 merit scholarships will be given to part-time students pursuing Associate, Baccalaureate, or Graduate Degrees.
The application deadline is May 1, 2005. Recipients will be notified by June 1, 2005.
The funds will be forwarded to the colleges of the scholarship recipients to be applied directly to their tuition for the following semester. Additionally, the awarded students will be the guests of the HSMAI Foundation at an upcoming HSMAI industry event.
“Awarding annual scholarships to deserving and committed students has been a greatly rewarding initiative,” states Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “We take great pride in providing assistance and encouragement to the next generation of our workforce.”
For eligibility, students must be enrolled in a hospitality management or related curriculum and pursuing a degree; have demonstrated hospitality work experience; possess an interest in a career in hospitality sales and marketing; and be in good academic standing.
Application requirements are as follows: typed application form; transcript from current college or university; two recommendation forms; a current resume; and three personal essays.
To apply, visit www.hsmai.org for more details and to download an application.
In other student news:
Extended Student Membership: Students who have been HSMAI members for at least a year can now receive the student rate for up to three years after graduation, as long as they are employed in a sales and marketing capacity within the hospitality industry. This change in policy was recently enacted by the HSMAI Foundation board of directors as a way to show continued support for student members as they enter the workforce.
Discounts at HSMAI University: HSMAI student members are entitled to a 50% discount on course registration fees for both onsite and online classes at HSMAI University - the organizations’ most comprehensive and ambitious initiative in the realm of education for sales and marketers of hospitality and travel to date, entailing a wide-ranging schedule of course offerings and learning experiences in public venue, private label and online formats.
Student Loan Program: HSMAI has partnered with Wells Fargo to offer a student loan program. The Wells Fargo Capital for Knowledge® program offers HSMAI members private credit-based education loans as well as access to free online college and scholarship searches and assistance with federal loan programs. HSMAI members and their relatives can apply. It is designed to cover all education-related expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, fees, a personal computer, etc. Loans are available for undergraduate and graduate studies, private K-12 schools, technical and professional training, and education loan consolidation. To apply online or to learn more about the Capital for Knowledge® program, go to www.capital4u.net or call toll-free 1-888-651-5626.
The HSMAI Foundation was established in 1983 to serve as the research and educational arm of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. Its mission is to expand and enhance the educational opportunities available to hospitality sales and marketing executives and to increase the amount of in-depth research conducted on behalf of the profession.
For more information on HSMAI or the HSMAI Foundation, contact the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300, McLean, VA 22102, phone (703) 610-9024; fax (703) 610-9005. You can also visit the website at www.hsmai.org.
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