Action Items

• Get Involved: Join AEF for the annual July 4th VIP Celebration from 7-10 p.m. Enjoy exclusive firework views, music and vibes at the American Pharmacists Association’s Potomac View Terrace.  
  
  
• Meet the 2025 AEF Scholarship Winners. AEF celebrates over $215,000 awarded in scholarships to students from DC Career and Technical Education Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts and Mass Media since 2015.  
  
  
• Get inspired by Makalya Cruz, an alumna of AEF’s programs, 2019 Career Ready Intern and two-time AEF scholarship winner, as she navigates her current role as Destination DC (DDC) apprentice.  
  
  
• Learn more about AEF’s presentation at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Work-based Learning Conference. 

This May, AEF proudly surpassed $215,000 in scholarships awarded to students and alumni of the DC Academies of Hospitality & Tourism, Culinary Arts and Mass Media since 2015.  

Congratulations to the 11 scholarship winners and 27 honorarium recipients for their outstanding commitment to leadership, service, entrepreneurship, media and excellence. Their hard work and potential inspires us—and we can’t wait to see what’s next. 
Please join us in celebrating these future leaders!  

"Winning this scholarship is an incredible honor that fills me with gratitude. it’s a powerful reminder that my hard work and dreams are seen and supported. I am immensely grateful for AEF and David's parents for their continuous support and generosity. It is because of these support systems that I continue to dream big and do as much as I can to make a positive impact in every community I’m part of."

- Adame Temesgen, Arizona State University, 2026, University of Rochester, 2024

AEF is proud to partner with Educated Eats and the Washington Area Concierge Association, for the second annual Building Futures: Celebration of DC Hospitality Scholars awards presentation. Join us on May 22, 5-7 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Washington DC Convention Center for this momentous occasion.  

You can still invest in students this graduation season. Support our young professionals at the start of their career journey.  

Donate to the AEF Scholarship Fund to support DC’s next generation of leaders.

Get to know Makayla Cruz, a DDC apprentice, recent North Carolina A&T ’24 grad, and alumna of Columbia Heights Educational Campus’ Academy of Hospitality & Tourism. In our debut alumni blog, she shares her journey after undergrad and dives into the world of hospitality through DDC—starting with Partnerships & Alliances! An AEF Career Ready Intern in 2019 and a two-time scholarship winner, Makayla is now pursuing her master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Liberty University.

AEF Associate Director Lisa Waldschmitt and Program Manager Brittany Anderson represented AEF at the ACTE Work-Based Learning Conference in Bellevue, WA, in April. They led a workshop on leveraging your local DMO, chamber of commerce and workforce development boards to build industry partnerships. Over 70 educators and state and local policymakers attended.  

Last month, AEF hosted 15 students from Kensennuma, Japan. This is the second year AEF has welcomed students from the TOMODACHI Initiative with the U.S.-Japan Council and Laurasian Institution as a part of their larger visit to New York City and Washington, DC. The group visited the DDC office to learn about their work as a destination marketing organization and how tourism can be a powerful tool for community revitalization.

Approximately 150 students from high schools Jackson-Reed, HD Woodson, Theodore Roosevelt, River Terrace, Ballou, Columbia Heights and Idea Public Charter School visited Nationals Park to learn about careers across an MLB team.  

The day included a ballpark tour, career fair and a lunch-and -learn with young sports professionals across the city, including Destination DC Senior Manager of Sports and Events, Nick Price, and AEF's Partnerships Manager, Christen Miller.

For the past three years, the Washington Nationals have partnered with DC Public Schools' Career Academies of Hospitality & Tourism to offer NatsPrep, an in-depth course for hospitality, sports promotion and event management careers.

Celebrate Independence Day with AEF at the annual VIP rooftop celebration and fundraiser on July 4, from 7-10 p.m. at the American Pharmacists Association. Your ticket directly supports scholarships and work-based learning 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 showcase your company’s support or donate a prize to our annual raffle and auction.
  
  

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