2026 Hospitality Educator Scholarship Application

The Hotel Association of North Texas is pleased to offer the Jim Howard Hospitality Educator Scholarship as an opportunity to provide culinary arts, hotel and hospitality management educators with tuition assistance and industry recognition.  

For an EDUCATOR in Hospitality related courses
Jim Howard Hospitality Educator - Two (2) $1,500 Scholarships Available

Selection Process

In order for an educator to be eligible, they must:

  • Be an educator at an area high school or at an accredited post-secondary educational institution offering a degree or classes in Hotel/Restaurant and/or Hospitality Management within the DFW/North Texas area.
  • Must have been in said educational position for at least two (2) years.
  • Provide evidence that Hospitality Career education is a part of the curriculum taught by applicant.
  • Complete Online Application.
  • Provide one letter of recommendation.

Scholarship Notes:

  • The scholarship may be used for professional training, for student enrichment or activities that will further the hospitality industry as a career path for students.
  • All scholarships awarded by the Hotel Association of North Texas are considered to be grants, not loans.
  • Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
  • A panel will review and rate the applications and scholarship awards will be based solely on these ratings. 
  • Applicants will be notified of their status via e-mail. 
  • Scholarship awardees will be invited to accept their award at the Hotel Association of North Texas’ Annual HOSPY Awards and Gala at the Omni Dallas on Friday, November 6, 2026.  

As a hospitality educator, you are making a difference and increasing the interest in the hospitality industry with your students, their parents, and your fellow colleagues. We appreciate the work you are doing in raising awareness of the many career pathways this industry offers, by increasing enrollment in your classes, and connecting with our industry partners while promoting student success.

Applications must be received via the online application process no later than Monday, October 19, 2026, to be considered.

Fields marked with an * are required.

Please verify that you have checked the “I'm not a robot” checkbox.

If you have applied for this scholarship before, or if you have been awarded this scholarship in the past, please indicate what year: 

Please provide an essay (500 words or less) or a PowerPoint presentation (25 slides or less) that address some of the items below: 

  • Describe how opportunities in Hospitality Careers or actual positional training are handled in your classroom.
  • How have you used professionals in the industry to enhance your classroom experience? (i.e. field trips, class speakers, etc. Please provide examples).
  • What led you to become a hospitality educator?
  • Describe how you would use this financial reward to further your education, understanding of the industry and/or for student enrichment.

20MB max

One letter of recommendation is required. You must submit a letter attesting to your character and integrity from any of the following four professionals: hospitality program dean or principal and/or current supervisor/employer.  

If you have more than one letter of recommendation, please combine these into one (1) PDF file. 

20MB max