Applicant Requirements:

1. Applicants must provide proof that they are: currently enrolled in a post secondary culinary/hospitality program on a full-time or substantial part-time basis (minimum 9 credit hours) at OSUIT or OSU HRAD;
2. Must have performed a minimum of 250 hours of related work experience in the hospitality field verified by paycheck stubs or letter(s) from employer(s) (ProStart® students are required to complete this);
3. Must obtain and submit two letters of recommendation – one from a faculty member familiar with your work, and another from a foodservice industry employer (must be signed and on letterhead to be accepted);
4. Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale;
5. Must be an Oklahoma resident and US citizen or a permanent resident of the United States

Required Documentation:
Certain additional materials are required for your application to be considered. 

• A response (at least 500 words) to this essay question: Explain your reason(s) for applying for a scholarship and why you feel you should receive one, and the type of career in the foodservice or hospitality industry you plan to pursue and your future goals.

• Copies of paycheck stubs or letter(s) from employer(s) indicating that applicant has completed a minimum of 250 hours of restaurant or foodservice-related work.
• A copy of your current college or high school transcript. If you are a graduating senior, your transcript must include grades for your senior year. Unofficial copies are acceptable; report cards are not. If you are a graduating high school senior, you must also include a letter of acceptance from the Hospitality Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or Culinary Arts Education post-secondary program you will attend.
• Two letters of recommendation – one from a faculty member familiar with your work, and another from a foodservice industry employer (must be signed and on letterhead to be accepted).

How Scholarship Applications are Judged and Selected:

1. Applications will be reviewed by the committee. Applicants will be contacted by email for an interview if selected by the committee.
2. Personal interviews will be held and selections will be made in the Spring.
3. The Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Restaurant Association Education Committee and the Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation selects and conducts interviews of scholarship applicants based on their achievement, scholastic aptitude, enthusiasm, creativity, and future promise in the foodservice/hospitality industry.
4. In 2017, the OHF Board of Trustees has chosen to award scholarships to students of OSU HRAD and OSUIT School of Culinary Arts. Eligible students from OSU HRAD must be entering into their Junior or Senior year in the Fall of 2017.
5. Past scholarship recipients and past applicants are encouraged to reapply by submitting a new application prior to the deadline.

How Scholarship Recipients are Notified:

1. Applications will be reviewed by the committee if selected for an interview
2. Applicants will be notified of their award status by mail and scholarship awards will be presented by an ORA representative at a date to be announced before the fall semester.
3. The scholarship dollars will be sent directly to the college bursar's office upon verification of enrollment. The funds will start in the fall semester of the following school year.