Chicago, IL – The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced today that, in an effort to help address the rising costs of college tuition, it has raised the minimum dollar amount awarded to students through its Scholarships Program.  Students receiving scholarships from the NRAEF will now receive a minimum $2,500 versus $2,000 to help pay for their restaurant and foodservice education, while teachers now receive $1,750 instead of $1,500 to continue their professional development.

“It is no secret that the cost of tuition across America has risen substantially over the past 10 years.  Because of this, more and more students need financial assistance to pursue their educational goals,” said Linda Bacin, chairman, NRAEF Board of Trustees.  “These high costs, coupled with the restaurant and foodservice industry’s need for skilled managers and professionals, made the decision to increase the dollar amount of our scholarships easy.  This 25 percent increase will allow us to better help those young people who are pursuing a career in our great industry and help our industry secure the workforce it needs to remain the cornerstone of our nation’s economy, career and employment opportunities and local communities.”
 
The restaurant and foodservice industry is one of the largest employers in the U.S., with 13.1 million employees and an additional two million positions being added over the next 10 years. The NRAEF’s Scholarships Program seeks to assist students and educators by awarding $1.7 million in 2008 to those committed to furthering their education or professional development in restaurant and foodservice management.  And the NRAEF’s Scholarships Program has proven successful at recruiting and attracting students to the industry -- 81 percent of students who have received an NRAEF scholarship are still studying and/or working in the industry.

To learn more about the NRAEF’s Scholarships Program, please visit www.nraef.org/scholarships.

About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the educational mission of the National Restaurant Association. As the nation's second largest private sector employer, the restaurant and foodservice industry is the cornerstone of the American economy, of career-and-employment opportunities, and of local communities. Revenues from all NRAEF products and services benefit the industry by supporting the NRAEF's educational initiatives.  For more information on the NRAEF, visit http://www.nraef.org/.