Spears School of Business

Nine undergraduate students from Oklahoma State University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management are receiving scholarships from the Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation (OHF) and the Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association (OHLA). A total of $34,000 was awarded to students who are pursuing a career in restaurant, culinary, hotel, and hospitality management.

 

Students receiving the scholarships are Kaitlyn Bledsoe, Kaleb Cervantes, Jordan Credle, Morgan Didlake, Skyla Edwards, Maddie Gooding, Mallory King, Samantha Rodriguez and Victoria Morgan Scott. Several of this year’s recipients were also awarded scholarships in 2020 including Cervantes, Didlake, King and Morgan Scott.

 

“We are very proud of our hospitality and tourism management students as they continuously exemplify their commitment to excellence,” said Dr. Brijesh Thapa, professor and head of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. “The scholarships will be of tremendous assistance to our students especially this year, and we are extremely grateful to OHF and OHLA for their annual commitment to the HTM program at OSU.”

 

The Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation is a charitable organization benefitting the restaurant, lodging and tourism industries in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association also has an established scholarship fund to award students desiring a career in hotel and lodging, and event management. 

 

“Our scholarship committees were thrilled to interview such an outstanding group of students who have decided to dedicate their education and future career path to the hospitality, hotel and the culinary arts industries,” said Patti Colley, Oklahoma Restaurant Association chief strategy officer. “It’s very important for students to engage with industry professionals, and during the interview process the committee is very committed to help students understand the characteristics and skill sets hospitality professionals look for when hiring.”

 

The OSU scholarship recipients included sophomores, juniors and seniors. Applicants were required to have performed a minimum of 250 hours of related work experience in the hospitality field and submit two letters of recommendation. Additionally, applicants submitted a 500-word essay explaining their reason for applying, why they are worthy of the scholarship, an explanation of their work experience and their intended goals in pursuing a hospitality career path.

 

Visit the HTM website for more information about OSU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.