Hospitality & Tourism is the livelihood of tens of thousands of people in the Charlotte region, and the industry elevates the quality of life for everyone who lives here, generating billions of dollars in economic impact. The Education Scholarship was created to identify and respond to the growing needs of the hospitality industry. Investing in our hospitality professionals through scholarships elevates the industry and empowers them to deliver memorable customer experiences every day.
Through the Education Scholarship, the CRVA aims to provide educational and professional development opportunities for those interested in making an impact on our region’s hospitality and tourism industry. The CRVA promotes the development of talent, experience, and leadership in the Queen City by awarding scholarships to individuals pursuing a career/course of study related to the hospitality and tourism industry or to professionals seeking to enhance their skills. To be considered, scholarship applicants must be studying at, or seeking to develop through, institutions or programs within the greater Charlotte region.*
*The Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which includes seven counties in North Carolina (Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Rowan, Union and Lincoln) and three in South Carolina (York, Lancaster and Chester).
The CRVA Education Scholarship provides support for education-based courses or seminars that are directly related to the hospitality industry, or support a clearly defined career path within the industry. The scholarship is designed to support those seeking to make an impact in the Charlotte region.
The foundation does not make grants for general operations, covering general non-hospitality coursework in institutions of higher learning, venture capital proposals, capital improvements, business equipment or supplies, or endowments. Applicants are only eligible for a one-time receipt of scholarship from the foundation. However, applicants who have not received a scholarship can apply multiple times.
The CRVA Education Scholarship also sponsors one student per year through a hospitality related program focused on workforce development. In 2022, the CRVA was pleased to announce it would award this opportunity to a student to go through the Community Culinary School of Charlotte (CCSC) program. The CCSC provides workforce development training and job placement assistance in the food service industry for adults who face barriers to long-term successful employment. Their 14-week core program teaches culinary arts, job-readiness skills, and goal setting to help students obtain and maintain career-level jobs.
Scholarships in the amount of $2,000 are awarded biannually to those pursuing graduate and/or undergraduate degrees in hospitality-related programs at an accredited college or university within the Charlotte region or those currently employed in the regional industry. Application deadlines for each cycle vary but typically coincide with the end of the Spring and Fall semesters.
Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. We seek those with ambition and passion, individuals who love creating memorable experiences, as well as those who display innovation and a desire to drive change to improve the industry in the Queen City. To apply, download the application below and email it to Jenna Eckel, Corporate Communications Manager, at jenna.eckel@crva.com.
If you are a student enrolled in an accredited college/university hospitality education-related program in the Charlotte region (or can explain how your education program will prepare you for a career in Charlotte's hospitality industry), complete this application:
