Action Items

• Bid Now: Looking to give back and win big? AEF’s annual July 4th auction is now live. We've planned your perfect staycation so you can experience DC like never before.  
  
  
• Get Involved: AEF needs you this summer. Volunteer as an industry judge for AEF’s Career Ready Interns. Sign-ups are available in July.
  
  
• 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.   
  
  
• On May 22, AEF, Educated Eats and the Washington Area Concierge Association celebrated over $71,000 in scholarships awarded to students and career professionals for their leadership in hospitality. Learn More.
  
  
• Share well wishes to AEF’s graduating Advanced Intern Program (AIP) interns. See how they closed out their experience with a work-based learning trip to Richmond.  

Celebrate Independence Day with AEF! Join the annual VIP rooftop celebration and fundraiser on July 4 from 7-10 p.m. at the American Pharmacists Association’s Potomac View Terrace. Your ticket directly supports scholarships and work-based learning for DC high school students.  

Enjoy great fireworks, food, drinks and family-friendly fun, all from a private rooftop. 

Unable to join us? You can still support students and win big. Participate in our annual raffle and auction for DC experiences.  

On May 22, AEF partnered with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s Educated Eats and the Washington Area Concierge Association for an awards ceremony at the Embassy Suites Washington DC Convention Center. Together we honored students and career professionals with over 50 scholarships and honorarium awards, which provided more than $71,000 in financial support for educational and career journeys.  

Thank you to our emcee, scholarship winner and AEF Advanced Intern, Shamiyah McGee, and to our keynote speaker Makayla Cruz, honoree and Destination DC apprentice.   

 AEF is proud to send off our four year-round interns.  

They spent their last days presenting their final project, building a student guidebook of Black-owned DC businesses based off their experiences visiting Green Book exhibits earlier this winter at the DC Public Library and National Museum of African American History & Culture and creating and leading an itinerary to Richmond, VA. 

See how they documented their experiences on Instagram throughout the year. 

As they look forward to graduation, we are proud of all their accomplishments and what their future holds.  

• Christian Osborne, Ballou High School ’25, Alabama State University ’29  
• Shamiyah McGee, Coolidge High School ’25, University of Pittsburgh ’29  
• Yovanna Ortiz-Cotto, Jackson-Reed High School ’25. College of Charleston ’29  
• Malijah Jackson, Ballou High School ’25, Jackson State University ’29  

“Coming into this internship, I was nervous, and I didn’t know what to expect. But I wouldn’t change my experience for anything. This internship has allowed me to meet new people and experience different sides of DC. It has helped me to be more open and to push myself more which will greatly help me in my field of study.” – Malijah Jackson 

This April, students from Ballou High School’s Academy of Hospitality & Tourism got an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the JW Marriott Washington, DC.  

In partnership with NAF, students experienced both the front and back of the house, discovering the many moving parts and careers that keep a hotel running smoothly.  

The highlight? A special Q&A session with General Manager Matthew Felix, who shared insider tips and real-world advice. 

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