Action Items

• AEF presented over $70,000 in scholarships with Educated Eats, Washington Hospitality Foundation and the Washington Area Concierge Association. Meet the 2024 AEF Scholarship Winners. 
  
  
• Buy tickets to AEF’s July 4th VIP Celebration! Single tickets and party packs are available for the whole team.
  
  
• Explore unique Only1DC prize packages and silent auctions for summer fun.
  
  
• Get Involved: AEF needs your expertise this summer. Sign up to be a presentation judge during Career Ready Internships.

AEF partnered with Educated Eats, Washington Hospitality Foundation and the Washington Area Concierge Association for an inaugural event celebrating DC’s future hospitality leaders. Hosted at the Westin Washington DC City Center and emceed by Molette Green of NBC4 Washington, the night culminated in over $70,000 awarded to DC students. 

Thank you to Encore, David J. Claypool of Kalorama Photography, Ben’s Chili Bowl and the Giant National Capital BBQ Battle for making the night special.

"This inaugural scholarship event represents not just an investment in individual students and professionals, but in the sustenance and growth of the regional workforce. We are thrilled to collaborate with our peers to highlight the vibrant opportunities available in hospitality and to ensure a thriving future for the food service sector in Washington, DC." -Shawn Townsend, President & CEO, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington

This May, AEF gave a record number of scholarships to students and alumni of the DC Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts and Mass Media. Congratulations to the 13 scholarship winners and 24 honorarium recipients. Four of the scholarships were special memorial awards: the David Iselin Scholarship for Community Service, Ray Bennett Scholarship for Leadership, Joe Shymanski Scholarship for Media and Akira Wilson Scholarship for Entrepreneurship. 

“Earning a scholarship is such a wonderful blessing for which I am incredibly grateful. It's not simply money; it's validation of my abilities and efforts. It will not only help with the cost of tuition but also open doors to new experiences and opportunities.” -Kayden Johnson, Coolidge High School ’24 

Support the scholarship program today with a donation to AEF. 

Join AEF for the annual VIP rooftop celebration on July 4th from 7-10 p.m. at the American Pharmacists Association. Your ticket supports scholarships for DC high school students.

• Enjoy great food, drinks and family-friendly fun
• Experience DC’s spectacular fireworks from a private rooftop
• Sponsor the event to show your company’s support

Scholarship season continues as six ProStart Culinary students from Ballou and Roosevelt high schools participated in a live cook-off competition on May 23. The BBQ-themed event featured dishes prepared by students based on a historical family recipe or a new and unique dish for the chance to win scholarship funds from Pepsi and the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation.  

Winners will be announced June 22 at the Giant National Capital BBQ Battle.  

This summer, AEF and Destination DC will welcome a new cohort of young leaders through the Career Ready Internship (CRI) program. Interns will meet with hoteliers, business improvement districts, restaurants, attractions, government officials and more across the hospitality industry. AEF is seeking judges to provide constructive feedback. Join us in welcoming our CRI’s each week as they present on new topics surrounding hospitality in DC. 

Connect with AEF: