Carl Borchgrevink, director of The School of Hospitality Business and the John and Becky Duffey Faculty Fellow in Hospitality Business, and Jennifer Pham, junior hospitality student, pictured at the Statler Foundation awards reception.

For the eighth consecutive year, an MSU student from The School of Hospitality Business has been awarded the Statler Foundation Scholarship of Excellence. This year, Jennifer Pham, a junior hospitality student, has been honored with a $25,000 scholarship.

“This scholarship means everything to me in the pursuit of my degree,” Pham said. “Something I don’t always like to admit: paying for my education has been a constant struggle for me … The Statler Foundation scholarship has relieved this struggle for me.”

The Statler Foundation held a reception on Sept. 18 to honor its recipients at Statler City in Buffalo, New York. Pham was given the chance to speak in front of the attendees and represent MSU, and she was incredibly proud of this opportunity.

Pham explained that her dream is to own her own business one day and that this scholarship will help. “Because of the support I’m receiving from the Statler Foundation, I am able to put my entire focus on my course work and graduate a full semester early, helping me be one step closer to achieving my dream!”

Carl Borchgrevink, director of The School of Hospitality Business and the John and Becky Duffey Faculty Fellow in Hospitality Business, attended the ceremony. “At eight consecutive years, we are honored to have our students continually be recognized by the Statler Foundation,” he said. “Jennifer represented MSU fabulously well!”

The Statler Foundation originated from the estate of hotelier Ellsworth Statler in 1928, “for research work for the benefit of the hotel industry of the United States, not only in the construction and operations of hotels, but in the training and making more proficient the workers in hotels, for the benefit of the hotel industry as a whole,” according to Borchgrevink.

To read more from Pham about receiving this honor, visit the Student View section of MSUToday.