$5M Grant Boosts Diversity and Inclusion at Cornell School of Hotel Administration

ITHACA, NY – The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has awarded a $5 million grant to the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (SHA) in support of diversity and inclusion initiatives, and student financial aid.

The five-year grant will allow SHA to expand recruitment initiatives to cultivate qualified applicants in targeted underserved markets. The funds will also provide scholarships for underrepresented and first-generation students to attend summer enrichment programs. In support of current students, the gift provides academic and non-academic support as a component of personal and professional development.

Most significantly, this gift will provide scholarship support for five or more students annually for five years, plus increase the reach of the existing Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Scholarship to support three or more students annually in perpetuity. Cornell University admits students based on qualifications, regardless of ability to pay. More than 60 percent of SHA students currently receive some form of financial aid, and the need continues to grow.

“Not only is providing financial aid support to our students a priority, it is also crucial that we invest in programs that ensure the students’ success,” says Michael D. Johnson, the Bradley H. Stone Dean and E. M. Statler Professor at SHA. “We look forward to partnering with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in helping deserving students from all backgrounds access the hospitality-focused business education only available at SHA.”

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help the world’s disadvantaged and vulnerable people. The Foundation currently conducts strategic initiatives in six priority areas: providing safe water, ending chronic homelessness, preventing substance use, helping children affected by HIV and AIDS, supporting transition-age youth in foster care, and extending Conrad Hilton’s support for the work of Catholic Sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $2 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 billion in grants, distributing $100 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2014. The Foundation’s current assets are approximately $2.5 billion. For more information, please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org.

Featured

  • abstract representation of hybrid learning environment

    The Permanence of Change: Why Hybrid Is the New Baseline

    Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • Image credit: O

    Strategic Campus Assessment: Moving Beyond Reactive Maintenance in Educational Facilities

    While campuses may appear stable on the surface, building systems naturally evolve over time, and proactive assessment can identify developing issues before they become expensive emergencies. The question isn't whether aging educational facilities need attention. It's how institutions can transition from costly reactive maintenance to strategic asset management in a way that protects both budgets and communities.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

Digital Edition