Scholarship Overview

Your Gift Matters

The generosity of our dedicated donors is vital to advancing the mission of The School of Hospitality Business: to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders in the hospitality industry. Your support provides more than financial assistance—it creates transformative opportunities for students who demonstrate exceptional talent, ambition, and a commitment to excellence.

Because of your contributions, these future professionals are empowered to pursue their academic and career aspirations with confidence and purpose. The impact of your contributions is profound, and as we look ahead, continued support is essential to sustaining this momentum and ensuring that our students have the resources they need to thrive.

Together, we are shaping the future of hospitality and strengthening the legacy of our school.

Felipe Befeler

“I am studying Hospitality Business with a focus in Food and Beverage operations, and with an interest in restaurants, sporting event management, foodservice, and food science. As I write this letter, I am completing my second internship at The Westin Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where I am gaining firsthand experience with guest service, hands-on management tools and everyday tasks, while also applying the knowledge learned from the classes taken at Michigan State University’s School of Hospitality Business.

I am from Costa Rica, where hospitality is an especially important aspect of everyday life, since we value and connect with friends and family over the feeling of being welcomed to another person’s home and eating their food, or even learning about their upbringing, which broadens the connections made between people. All this being one of the reasons I decided to develop myself in the hospitality industry.”

Eric Kleinfelt

“When I was 8 years old, I asked my family to spend a night at a hotel for my birthday. I did not want toys or games, just a night at the Country Inn and Suites on Creyts Road in Lansing, MI. We swam, ordered food, slept on the pull-out sofa, and made memories I will never forget. I did not know it then, but that experience sparked my passion for hospitality. My goal is to create lifelong memories for guests and pour that same passion into everything I do.

I am pursuing this goal through Michigan State’s hospitality clubs and real-world, firsthand experience. I am active in the Hospitality and Lodging Club and serve as CFO of Les Gourmets, a student-run fine dining event. Professionally, I have worked across a variety of roles and properties to become as well-rounded as possible. I started at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in August 2022 as a custodian, was promoted to student supervisor, and then took a summer job at a luxury guest ranch in Wyoming. When I returned to school, I became a front desk supervisor at Kellogg, helping with scheduling, improving team culture, and covering weekend overnight audit shifts, one of my most formative experiences. I later worked at the front desk at Montage Deer Valley in Utah, where I exceeded service standards, grew professionally, and built strong connections. I have since accepted a return offer for this summer at their ultra-luxury Palmetto Bluff property in South Carolina.

Looking ahead, I aim to become a luxury hotel residence manager. I am drawn to this role because true hospitality is rooted in a deeper, more personal connection. Managing someone’s residence allows me to provide a more tailored and thoughtful service through the deeper connection. I am also excited by the chance to work with residents from around the world. This opportunity will expand my cultural knowledge and global perspective.

As an international student studying abroad in the United States of America, I am extremely thankful and extremely fortunate to have been granted this opportunity, which I will fully use along my college career and professional development during my current and future internships and endeavors. Again, thank you very much.”