Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation

TO EDUCATE AND DEVELOP FUTURE EMPLOYEES AND LEADERS FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND TO PROMOTE HOSPITALITY AS AN INDUSTRY OF GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY.

PROSTART PROGRAM:PROSTART IS A TWO-YEAR CURRICULUM FOR CULINARY ARTS AND FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT THAT INCLUDES CLASSROOM STUDY, MENTORED WORK EXPERIENCES AND AN OPTIONAL PROSTART INVITATIONAL COMPETITION. PROSTART, AFFILIATED WITH THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, IS OFFERED IN OVER 95 MINNESOTA SCHOOLS ENGAGING MORE THAN 5,500 STUDENTS WITH OVER 750 ALREADY WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY. THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE HMEF AWARDED FOUR GRANTS UP TO $2,500 EACH (ALMOST $7,500 TOTAL) TO MINNESOTA SCHOOLS TO PURCHASE THE PROSTART CURRICULUM FOR THEIR STUDENTS. THE HMEF CONNECTS MENTORS TO EACH SCHOOL, PROVIDES PROGRAM TEACHERS WITH TRAINING AND INDUSTRY RESOURCES, AND SPONSORS THE STATEWIDE PROSTART COMPETITION EACH SPRING. THE 2023 HMEF PROSTART INVITATIONAL WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 28TH AT THE SAINT PAUL RIVERCENTRE IN SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA. THE COMPETITION FEATURES TWO CATEGORIES: CULINARY ARTS AND FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT. SEVENTEEN TEAMS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETED FOR AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THE TOP TEAM IN EACH CATEGORY ADVANCED TO THE 2023 NATIONAL PROSTART INVITATIONAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THAT WILL BE HELD IN MAY. THE HMEF NORMALLY PROVIDES A TRAVEL ALLOWANCE TO EACH TEAM. THE TALENTS OF PROSTART STUDENTS WERE FEATURED AT SEVERAL INDUSTRY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR CONNECTING THEM WITH FUTURE EMPLOYERS AND REINFORCING THEIR CAREER CHOICES.

HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM:THE HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (HTMP) IS A CURRICULUM DEVELOPED BY THE AMERICAN HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION THAT INTRODUCES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO THE LODGING INDUSTRY. THE CURRICULUM COVERS EVERYTHING FROM FRONT OFFICE AND HOUSEKEEPING MANAGEMENT TO MARKETING AND SALES, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, AS WELL AS GENERAL MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. MINNESOTA CURRENTLY HAS TWENTY-FIVE SCHOOLS TEACHING THIS PROGRAM WITH AROUND 350 STUDENTS. THE HMEF HAS FUNDS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO SCHOOLS INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS CONNECTIONS TO MENTORS AND INDUSTRY CONTACTS FOR EACH TEACHER, PROVIDING A "REAL WORLD" RESOURCE FOR THE CLASSROOM.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM:SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2008, THE HMEF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HAS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $858,500 TO 356 STUDENTS PURSUING POST-SECONDARY DEGREES IN ACCREDITED CULINARY AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.