Washington, DC — The American Experience Foundation (AEF), the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s Educated Eats (RAMW) and the Washington Area Concierge Association (WACA) united for a special event at the Embassy Suites Convention Center to honor students and career professionals with over 50 scholarships and honorarium awards. The scholarships provide more than $71,000 in financial support and complement learning programs, assisting students and professionals in their educational and career journeys.
The program marks the continued collaboration between three hospitality organizations to distribute foundation awards scholarships, fostering industry-wide cohesion and celebrating the next generation of professionals pursuing careers in hospitality, business, healthcare, technology and beyond.
"Working with students is incredibly rewarding,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “Their energy, curiosity and potential inspire us to build a stronger, more inclusive hospitality industry. Through our partnership with the American Experience Foundation, DDC’s official nonprofit foundation, we go beyond scholarships by creating real pathways to success. By pooling our resources and championing these scholars, we reaffirm our dedication to their growth, education and long-term career opportunities.”
The scholarship recipients comprise DC high school students and alumni from the District’s Career Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts and Mass Media.
The AEF Scholarship Fund has:
• Distributed awards of $2,500 scholarships and $500 honorariums to deserving students and alumni who have demonstrated success, leadership and service at school, at work and in their communities
• Provided over 130 scholarships since 2015, totaling over $215,000
• Additionally, AEF recognizes scholars for their achievements with AEF student and alumni honorarium
2025 AEF Scholarship Awardees:
• Student winners:
o James Walton Jr., Maya Angelou Public Charter High School, 2025
o Jennifer Pineda-Arias, Columbia Heights Education Campus, 2025
o JohnTay Taylor, River Terrace Education Campus, 2026
o Sydney Mabry, Jackson-Reed High School, 2025
• AEF Alumni Scholarship winners:
o Belinda Alcoser Gonzalez, Montgomery College, Jackson-Reed High School, 2024
o Mattison McDonald, Washington & Jefferson College, Calvin Coolidge High School, 2023
• David Iselin Memorial Scholarship for Community Service:
o Adame Temesgen, Arizona State University, 2026, University of Rochester, 2024
• Ray Bennett Memorial Scholarship for Leadership:
o Shamiyah McGee, Calvin Coolidge High School, 2025
• Akira Wilson Memorial Scholarship for Entrepreneurship:
o Leslie Galo-Valle, Jackson-Reed High School, 2025
• Joe Shymanski Memorial Scholarship for Photography & Media Excellence:
o Darren Heard Jr., Frank W. Ballou High School, 2025 •
27 additional honorarium awards
2025 Educated Eat Scholarship Awardees:
• Student winners:
o Mohamad Turay - Theodore Roosevelt High School
o Robert Butler - Theodore Roosevelt High School
o Angelo Gabriel Lopez Campos - Theodore Roosevelt High School
o Serafina Landi - Battlefield High School
o Clyde Watts, III – Archbishop Carroll High School
o Max Grefe - Culinary Institute of America
o Aurora Gray - Battlefield High School
o Imani Isaac - Columbia Heights Education Campus
• College and Culinary School winners:
o Eleanor Nichols - James Madison University
o Mousa Mansour - Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute
o Patrick Kenney - Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute
• Industry Professional winner:
o Taryn Pellicone - Prescription Chicken
2025 Washington Area Concierge Association Scholarship Awardees:
• Student winners:
o Leslie Galo-Valle, Temple University (2029)
o Sydney Mabry, Penn State Brandywine (2029)
o Arrington Ward, Jr., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (2029)
"Washington, DC’s hospitality industry thrives on collaboration, support and a shared dedication to growth. Travel and tourism drive our city’s economy, but it’s the next generation of professionals who will shape its future success," said Claire Carlin, AEF’s executive director. "By welcoming and nurturing talented, ambitious young colleagues, we strengthen our industry, ensuring it remains vibrant, innovative and deeply connected to the communities we serve.”
“At RAMW, we are proud to champion the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals. This scholarship event is about more than financial support—it’s a powerful investment in the people who will shape the future of our industry. We’re honored to stand alongside our partners in showcasing the rewarding career pathways that hospitality offers and in building a stronger, more vibrant regional workforce,” said Shawn Townsend, President & CEO, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.
“The Washington Area Concierge Association is proud to support the next generation of hospitality leaders,” said Jeffrey Morgan, President, Washington Area Concierge Association. “These scholarships represent our commitment to fostering talent, encouraging excellence and investing in the future of the hospitality industry. Through education and passion, we believe the recipients of these scholarships will not only thrive but will continue to elevate the standards of service and hospitality for years to come. In the past three decades, the Washington Area Concierge Association has donated over $100,000 to help make this vision a reality.”
About
The American Experience Foundation (AEF) enriches the lives of Washington, DC high school students and alumni of the District’s career Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts, and Mass Media through educational opportunities to cultivate the next generation of industry professionals. AEF is the official nonprofit affiliate of Destination DC, the destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital. The AEF scholarship program awards $2,500 to deserving students and alumni who have demonstrated success, leadership, and service at school, work and in their communities. Since 2015, AEF has impacted over 3,600 young people, including pairing 500+ students with industry-focused internships, awarding more than $215,000 in scholarships, and hosting over 190 high school interns. Seven former AEF program participants and scholarship winners now work full time at Destination DC.
The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is the regional trade association representing restaurants and the foodservice industry in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Founded in 2004, Educated Eats (501(c)(3)) advocates for the value of employment through the restaurant and foodservice industry and is committed to creating the next generation of culinary professionals. Through Educated Eats, RAMW assists public school districts and local community colleges in designing and implementing culinary education programs, provides scholarships to promising culinary students and seeks new partnerships outside of the public school system. Educated Eats scholarships are designed to assist individuals who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to the restaurant industry. Scholarships are provided to both high school students pursuing a course of undergraduate culinary study, as well as to those already active in the restaurant industry who are interested in opportunities to return to school to refresh and deepen their skill set.
The Washington Area Concierge Association (WACA) maintains dynamic relationships with area businesses, cultural institutions, and community-based organizations while promoting tourism in the nation’s capital. The organization nurtures educational and professional growth for all concierges while upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethics. The WACA Memorial Scholarship (originally the John B. Campbell Scholarship) was established as a long-term commitment to the hospitality and tourism industry to support the development of skilled professionals.
May 22, 2025