For more than a decade, IACC has granted scholarships to deserving students in hospitality programs. In 2001-2002, we revamped scholarship offerings to provide more opportunities for students and increased the size of our primary scholarship—the Conference Center Industry Award.

Currently, IACC’s portfolio of student financial aid programs includes:

• The IACC Conference Center Industry Award.
• The Future Leaders Award.
• The Doris Sklar Award at New York University.

(Scroll down for descriptions of these awards; click the name of the award above to see a list of past recipients.)

If you are a member or friend of IACC who would like to contribute to our Scholarship Fund, click here for a PDF file that describes the recognition program.

Interested in discovering what company you'd keep as a backer of IACC's scholarship programs? Visit the Contributors page.

IACC CONFERENCE CENTER INDUSTRY AWARD

First granted in 2002, the IACC Conference Center Industry Award provides a $5000 grant-in-aid to a deserving graduate or undergraduate student of hospitality. This award helps offset the growing cost of education, and it includes registration fees for both the annual conference and the pre-conference study tour and accommodations at the IACC-Americas Annual Conference in the spring of the award year.

To be considered for this award, the successful candidate must meet the following criteria:

• Full-time, active student pursuing a hospitality-related degree at an accredited institution.
• Minimum grade point average of 3.3.
• Can demonstrate interest in pursuing career in conference center industry.
• Previous IACC scholarship winners ineligible.

IACC accepts nominations for this scholarship only from a dean, department head or faculty member at the candidate's school. Applications must include:

• A letter of recommendation from a faculty member explaining in sufficient detail the candidate’s worthiness and verifying his/her GPA.
• A personal statement from the candidate, concisely describing his/her interests in the hospitality industry, his/her career goals, and stating why the student feels he/she is worthy of the award.
• A brief essay (approximately 200 words) on the subject “The role that conference centers will play in the future of the meetings industry.”
• The candidate’s resume.
• Any other information that would pertain to the award decision (e.g., involvement in hospitality related organizations, extra-curricular activities, internships/direct work experience).

Application materials must reach the IACC Office no later than January 15. Please send materials to Michele Schurk, Director of Member Services & Administration, International Association of Conference Centers, 243 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63141.

Past IACC Conference Center Industry Award Winners

FUTURE LEADERS AWARD

Each year, IACC offers individual scholarships that enable one or more students to participate in the IACC-Americas Annual Conference. These awards are granted to students of hospitality in good standing at accredited institutions. The award package includes one conference registration, transportation to and from the conference and full CMP accommodations on-site (approximate value - $3000.00).

Application materials for Future Leaders Awards must reach the IACC Office no later than January 15.

To be considered, the successful candidate must meet the following criteria:

• Full-time active student pursuing hospitality related degree at an accredited institution.
• Minimum grade point level of 3.0.
• At liberty to attend the IACC annual conference.
• Previous IACC scholarship winners ineligible.

Applications must include:

• A letter of recommendation from a faculty member explaining in sufficient detail the candidate's worthiness and verifying his/her GPA.
• A personal statement from the candidate, concisely describing his/her interest in the hospitality industry, his/her career goals, and explaining why the candidate feels that attending this conference will help to achieve these goals.
• The candidate's resume.
• Other information that might pertain to the award decision (e.g., involvement in hospitality-related organizations, extra-curricular activities, internships or direct work experience).

To express your interest in applying for a Future Leaders Award, please send your application materials to Michele Schurk, Director of Member Services & Admin., The International Association of Conference Centers, 243 North Lindbergh Boulevard #315, St. Louis, MO 63141.

Past IACC Future Leaders Award Winners

DORIS SKLAR AWARD

In 1997, IACC joined forces with NYU's Tisch School of Hospitality Management to fund this award in honor of Doris Sklar, long-time supporter of the conference center industry and highly recognized leader in the meetings industry. First awarded in 1999, each year the Doris Sklar Award provides a $5000 grant-in-aid to a deserving hospitality student at New York University.  As well as one registration for the annual conference, and the option to attend the full pre-conference tour, or the one day tour  option preceding the annual conference.

If you are a student in the hospitality program at NYU, contact Dean Dr. Bjorn Hanson to express your interest in the Doris Sklar Award. Previous IACC scholarship winners are ineligible.

Past Doris Sklar Award Winners

PAST AWARD WINNERS

IACC CONFERENCE CENTER INDUSTRY AWARD

2012 - Miss Emmanuelle Willis - Morgan State University
2011 - Leah Bernick - George Washington University
2010 - Michael McClatchy - University of Central Florida
2009 - Sharon Moser - University of Delaware
2008 - Ashley Akright - The Pennsylvania State University
2007 - Kathryn Hauschild - Indiana University - Purdue University
2007 - Indianapolis
2006 - Lori Graham - University of Central Florida
2005 - Melissa Bell - University of Guelph
2004 - Deborah Parz - University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2003 – Shelby Krebs – New Mexico State University
2002 - Shirley XiaoNan Lu - Florida International University

 

At right: Leah Bernick receives the 2011 IACC Conference Center Industry Award from IACC-Americas President, Peter Stockmann.-
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IACC FUTURE LEADERS AWARD

 

2012 - Shawna Haggerty - George Washington University
2011 - Christina Mott - Central Connecticut State University
2010 - Brittany Hansum - Thompson Rivers University
2009 - Ashley Akright - The Pennsylvania State University
2008 - Allison Brake - California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
2007 - Matthew Ardakanian - University of Delaware
2007 - Samantha Mora - Stephen F. Austin State University
2006 - Brooke Del Gallo - Indiana University
2006 - Margaret Marchesky - Northern Arizona University
2005 - Angela Shank - The Pennsylvania State University
2005 - Sophia Wei-Jy Lin - Cornell University
2004 - Lynn Dersley - Michigan State University
2004 - Swathi Ravichandran - Iowa State University
2003 – Xioaling Yi – New York Univeristy
2002 - Steen Petri - New York University

At right: Pete Stockmann recognizes 2011 Future Leader Christina Mott.-
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DORIS SKLAR AWARD • NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

2012 - Serena Sun
2011 - E.J. Lee
2010 - Priscilla Plasai
2009 - Zhe Li
2008 - Danielle Shapiro
2007 - Chanelle Dolbeare
2006 - Ilisa Stein
2005 - Stephanie Nelson
2004 - Angela DeVoe
2003 – Mi-Kyung Chang
2002 - Cheng Wang
2001 - Sonia Datta
2000 - Ivan Turnipseed
1999 - Georgia Condoulis

At right: New York University student Eun Jin Lee is recognized by Peter Stockmann, President of IACC-Americas, and Sandra Dove-Lowther, Director of Academic Services for the Tisch Center at New York University for earning the 2011 Doris Sklar Award.-
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