The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will present $59,000 in scholarships to exceptional undergraduate students and educators pursuing careers and professional development in the restaurant and foodservice industry, during the upcoming NRA Show (May 22-25, at Chicago’s McCormick Place). The scholarships will be awarded during the Michael E. Hurst Educational Forum and 23rd Annual Salute to Excellence, a day-long series of events hosted by the NRAEF, on Saturday, May 22, at the Hilton Chicago.

‘As tens of thousands of restaurant industry professionals gather in Chicago for NRA Show 2010, we have the opportunity to support some outstanding future leaders of America’s restaurants,’ said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and the NRAEF.

The NRAEF, in partnership with its endowment and leadership scholar donors, will be presenting the following scholarships:

• The Coca-Cola Company will award two $5,000 scholarships to student honor delegates during the Michael E. Hurst Educational Forum.

o Melissa Dillard, University of Maryland East
o Katie Fulgham, The Pennsylvania State University

• The NRAEF in partnership with the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiR?NA), will award five scholarships for a total of $12,500 during the Michael E. Hurst Educational Forum. The scholarships will be awarded to student honor delegates attending the event.

o Adena Gilden, Purdue University
o Robert Stretch, Washtenaw Community College
o Nicole Trussell, Newbury College
o Laura Hooton, The Culinary Institute of America
o San Shoppell, Kapiolani Community College

• The Al Schuman Ecolab Undergraduate Entrepreneurial Scholarship will award a total of $16,500 to three undergraduate students to be announced at Salute to Excellence.

o Crystal Lingle, The Pennsylvania State University
o Soraya Khoury, The Culinary Institute of America
o Joseph Hawkins, Johnson & Wales University

• Golden Corral Corporation will award the $5,000 James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Awards to two deserving ProStart® educators during Salute to Excellence.

o Bonita Curtis, Maryland ProStart Educator Excellence Award Winner, Fairmont Heights High School, Capitol Heights, Md.
o Judy Uerling, New Mexico ProStart Educator Excellence Award Winner, Clovis High School, Clovis, N.M.

• The Robert E. Rich, Sr. Chairman’s Award Scholarship will award a total of $10,000 to four undergraduate students attending Johnson & Wales University, Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of America at Salute to Excellence.

NRAEF scholarships are made possible through the philanthropic support of individuals and corporations from all sectors of the restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and education industries. Five years after receiving their scholarships, more than 80 percent of NRAEF scholarship recipients are still studying and/or working in the foodservice industry. To learn more about the NRAEF Scholarship Program, visit www.nraef.org/scholarships or call 800.765.2122 ext. 6738.