HSMAI South Florida Scholarships
The Dr. Peter Ricci Scholarship – Supporting Future Industry Leaders
Are you passionate about hospitality and tourism? The Dr. Peter Ricci Scholarship can help you take the next step in your career by providing financial support for your education. Established over a decade ago, this scholarship recognizes hardworking students from South Florida, perusing a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, who are dedicated to shaping the future of the hospitality industry.
Each year, outstanding students like you receive this prestigious award during the HSMAI South Florida Annual Awards Gala. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain recognition, support your education, and connect with industry professionals.
Apply today and take a step toward your future in hospitality!
Scholarship Recipient Testimonials
Kirby Lynn Gilmore
"The prestigious Dr. Peter Ricci Scholarship empowered me to complete my BA in Hospitality Management and inspired me to complete my MBA in Operations Management. Through my experience in Residence Life, I discovered the parallel between university living and the hotel industry. I have honed valuable skills in team-building, conflict-resolution, and operations that are applicable to any business."
Juan Tamayo
"Since receiving this scholarship, I’ve taught hospitality classes at FIU, opened the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood with their Food and Beverage team. I’ve traveled the world with Celebrity Cruises as a Learning & Development Consultant. During Covid-19, I helped repatriate thousands of team members across the globe and bring three ships back to service. Most recently, I have been working with 1 Hotels as their Learning and Development Manager. There, I coach executive leadership on culture, service excellence, and team building.
My education was graciously impacted by the Peter Ricci Hospitality Scholarship. I was able to put that money towards my Master's degree at Florida International University where I graduated as one of the World Ahead Graduates."
Sabrina Schmid
"After being rewarded with this scholarship, my network within the local hospitality industry grew significantly. Industry leaders reached out to me willing to offer me a position within their organization and made valuable recommendations. The experience was so humbling, I felt like the local hospitality community fully adopted me from the moment I set foot into this industry. I am continuously involved with HSMAI South Florida as I am eager to give back to an industry that is giving me so much. Being a world-traveler myself, it excites me every day to live and work in this exciting industry."
Isabella Rolleri
"Since receiving the scholarship, I have had quite a bit of things happen. I finally graduated with my bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Hospitality and Event Management. I have started my MBA courses over the summer (3 days after I walked the stage) and have tackled some of my hardest courses to date. I am getting ready to start planning out my final year at Lynn University, especially as the Hospitality Club President, which I will miss dearly. I hit my one-year anniversary at the Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa and have since left then and started a new journey at Kolter Hospitality as a HR Coordinator and Administrative Assistant.
As I step back to reflect and write this, it amazes me how much can change in less than a year and that change is good and not always scary."
DR. PETER RICCI SCHOLARSHIP
DESCRIPTION
Each year the South Florida Chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will offer scholarships to college/university students across South Florida dependent upon budget. Preferred applicants will have an intended pathway into hospitality & tourism sales, marketing, or revenue optimization careers.
For purposes of this scholarship, South Florida includes Jupiter southward and throughout the Florida Keys over to the Florida West Coast including the interior from the southernmost point of the West Coast up through Sarasota. It includes any colleges or universities in either Jupiter or Sarasota as well as the northernmost points.
In order to be eligible, students must have applications completed online and must submit any required supplemental items as listed in the online application. Students must use their current institutional email (no personal email addresses may be utilized). Students must include a current resume and the resume must also indicate their institutional email.
Further, students must be enrolled full-time in any accredited hospitality & tourism management program across South Florida (see geographical information above) and they must be enrolled through at least the spring term of the following year. For example, if your scholarship application is for the fall of 2029, you must be enrolled full time through at least the end of the spring term, 2030.
Full time enrollment is determined by the student's unique institution.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility requires applicants to be currently enrolled undergraduate (associate or bachelor’s) or graduate (master’s or doctorate) students enrolled in a college or university in South Florida (see section above on geographical boundaries). The degrees must be in hospitality management, tourism, or a highly related discipline (with review committee agreement).
Further, as stated above students must intend to have a career path in the niche areas of hospitality sales, marketing, revenue optimization, data analytics in the areas of sales or marketing, public relations/communications, or similar.
The students must be enrolled full time at the time of application and must be enrolled full time at least one semester beyond the award date. An example is provided above.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS & PROCESS
Students must complete the online application in its entirety. Students must submit all required supplemental items. Please remember, students must apply using their institutionally-provided email address and have that same email address listed on their resume.
Supplemental items include:
• Current Resume with correct email address (from their educational institution) and phone number
• Official or unofficial transcript uploaded in a .pdf or Microsoft Word format
• Statement of career intent in .pdf or Microsoft Word format
All items must be submitted by the application deadline. For the fall, 2026 award cycle, this deadline is Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm (EST).
Please Note: In order to be eligible, students must be able to attend the annual HSMAI South Florida Gala event IN PERSON. The date and location of this event will be provided to you by the chapter's Executive Director, Ms. Diane Levine-Benjamin. She may be reached at hsmaisouthflorida@gmail.com Please ensure that you are available on this date and time prior to submitting your application.
For fall, 2026 the Award Ceremony will be held in October/November 2026.
An individual member of the HSMAI South Florida Board will reach out to prospective recipients to schedule either a phone call or a virtual conversation if your application has been selected as a finalist.
If you have any questions about the process or have any technical difficulties submitting the required documentation, please reach out to the HSMAI South Florida Chapter's Executive Director, Ms. Diane Benjamin, at hsmaisouthflorida@gmail.com.