Scholarship Application Form

GRANTS FOR WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY

Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) and the Colorado chapter’s mission is to inspire, advance, and support women leaders in food, beverage, hospitality, nutrition, and agriculture. A central part of this mission is to provide scholarships to Colorado-based women pursuing degrees in these fields at an accredited Colorado college or university.

By investing in education, the organization helps women gain the skills and opportunities needed to thrive professionally, while also fostering mentorship, community, and leadership development. Our goal is not only to open doors for individual women, but also to strengthen and diversify the future of the global food, beverage, hospitality, nutrition, and agriculture industries.

Are you a Colorado-based woman currently studying food, beverage, hospitality, nutrition, or agriculture at a college in the state?

Apply for a scholarship from Les Dames d’Escoffier. Colorado Chapter will award up to $4500 in scholarships to three Colorado-based individuals who are accepted and enrolled in credited programs in Colorado for the fall semester 2026.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION OPENING DATE: February 1, 2026

DEADLINE: Application submission portal will close midnight, March 31, 2026

SCHOLARSHPS WINNERS INFORMED: May 1-5, 2026

FUNDS SENT TO INSTITUTIONS: AUGUST 2026

CRITERIA:

Currently accepted and enrolled in a program for the 2026-2027 scholastic year at an accredited Colorado university or college campus in the fields of food, beverage, hospitality, nutrition, or agriculture.
At this time, we cannot accept applications for non-accredited culinary schools or online institutions
Must be a Colorado resident (please inquire here for LDEI scholarship opportunities in other states).
Official transcript from the school(s) you last attended.
Electronic Student Aid Report (SAR): including FAFSA, SAR with Expected Family Contribution/FCC Number
Two letters of recommendation.
If any of the above is not provided, the application will not be considered.

Questions: Reach out to Kari McGuinness, Scholarship Chair at karimcg@iclould.com

TIPS FOR FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION:

Include an email address and phone number that you frequently check, as our committee may have questions.
Please reply to any inquiries from our organization to let us know you received our note.
If you decide to drop out of the scholarship application process, please let us know.
We love a good story. Please share your goals, aspirations, and inspiration for your education and career goals. These may include school, education, volunteer, life, and job experiences.
For the application to be accepted, the committee must receive transcripts, SAR, and FAFSA reports, and two letters of recommendation. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
We do accept applications for career choices and study majors that do not fall into the categories of food, beverage, hospitality, nutrition, or agriculture.

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Name(Required)

First Last

Birthday(Required)

Phone(Required)

Personal Email(Required)

School Email(Required)

Mailing Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Currently Attending College/University/Program(Required)

Accredited programs only

College/University/Program Student ID(Required)

Cumulative Grade Point Average/GPA(Required)

GPA for most recently finished quarter/semester

College/University or High School, Trade, or Tech School most recently attended

If different from above

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Please answer all five questions in the boxes provided. Each answer should not exceed 250 words and is judged on content, not length.

1. Describe the program/major for which you seek a scholarship, why you selected this program/major, and what the program/major means to your career aspirations.(Required)

2. After finishing your education what do you hope to accomplish in your professional life?(Required)

3. Describe your past experience in food-related areas such as culinary, food science, dietetics, nutrition, beverage and fermentation, hospitality and restaurant management, animal science, agriculture, or family and consumer sciences.(Required)

4. List any honors (Honor Roll, Who's Who?, etc.) you have received in high school, college, or your professional career.(Required)

5. List any extracurricular activities you have been involved with in high school or college, especially those related to the areas of culinary, food science, dietetics, nutrition, beverage and fermentation, hospitality and restaurant management, animal science, agriculture, or family and consumer sciences.(Required)

REQUIRED DOCUMENT UPLOAD

Before submitting this completed application form, including all essays, please upload the following documents:

- Electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) with Expected Family Contribution/EFC number, available from Free Application for Federal Student Aid/FAFSA. The EFC is a 6-digit number, perhaps starting with a zero, appearing near the top of the SAR form. The SAR form should show the EFC number. (required)

- An official transcript from the most recent school you have attended must be provided. (required)

- A copy of your resume (optional)

File Upload: SAR, Transcript, Resumé(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 100 MB, Max. files: 6.

REQUIRED LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Two Letters of Recommendation — one from a scholastic reference and one from a professional reference.

File Upload: Letters of Recommendation(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 300 MB.

Signature(Required)

By signing, you verify that all of the information contained herein is true and accurate according to your knowledge.

Les Dames d'Escoffier Colorado is a chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI), an international invitational organization of women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality whose mission is education, advocacy and philanthropy. As Julia Child stated, "Since its incorporation 25 years ago, Les Dames d'Escoffier has followed its mission to elevate the profession through mentoring members and helping worthy students succeed in their food-related careers."

The Colorado Chapter of LDEI was founded in 2003. Giving scholarships to worthy recipients is one way in which the Colorado Chapter continues to follow the mission and vision of the international organization and its founding members.

All information provided in this application is confidential.