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Kabacoff School of HRT Awarding Scholarships to New Students |
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About the M.S. Program |
The scholarship money will be disbursed over four years to undergraduates and over two years to masters' students. Each new student admitted to the HRT program at UNO will be considered, said Dr. John A. Williams, director of the UNO Kabacoff School. Throughout their education, most students in UNO's Kabacoff School work in the community and the hospitality industry, Williams said upon receiving the gift. "The business community has asked that we substantially increase the number of graduates. This is a crucial first step in expanding our program."
The local hospitality industry is facing a severe labor shortage and
the gift to UNO will go a long way in providing qualified workers
in the years to come, he said. The scholarship funds came from a $447,800 gift from the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau and represent three conferences forced to move their events to the Windy City following Hurricane Katrina, Williams explained. The gift was received at a reception hosted by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse at his Warehouse District restaurant on April 19. The three organizations - the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the National School Boards Association - moved their meetings held in early 2006 to Chicago's McCormick Place. The groups eagerly signed on to assist the Chicago hospitality community in raising money for their hospitality colleagues in New Orleans, Williams said.
The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau pledged that local hotels
would rebate $10 per room for every night booked for the relocated
shows. The $447,800 represents half of the money raised. The other
half was presented to the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity which
is building the Musicians Village in the city's Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood.
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