CHTA EDUCATION FOUNDATION & INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL
PRESENT 2009 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
MIAMI, FL, September 10, 2009 – The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) and Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services, presented college students Roderick Beazer and Koran Kong with the 2009 Interval International Scholarships. They were chosen by the CHTAEF selection committee as part of the review process of more than 90 applications from 18 Caribbean destinations.
“Roderick and Koran received scholarships because of their academic achievements, strong commitment to the hospitality industry, and great potential for future success. We wish them both the best of luck in their studies and future endeavors,” said CHTAEF Chairman Tom Pas.
The Interval International Scholarship Fund was created in 2004 when the company made a commitment to the CHTAEF to benefit Caribbean students interested in pursuing careers in hospitality and tourism. Interval and its member resorts have donated $120,000 over the past five years to the Foundation.
“Interval International and its member resorts are involved with the CHTAEF because we recognize the powerful impact that education has on the continued growth of the hospitality industry in the region,” commented David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for Interval International.“Through our collective contributions to the Foundation, we are able to support the development of skilled tourism professionals who provide better service and a higher quality vacation experience for visitors.”
“These exceptional students serve as examples to other young people in the Caribbean of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication,” said Hon. Ian Sweeney, Consul General, Antigua & Barbuda. “Roderick and Koran are trailblazers who showcase our island nation’s talent. Although they are still attending school, their work experience already includes positions at two prestigious resorts.”
Roderick is studying culinary arts management at the Art Institute of Atlanta. He is the first student from Antigua’s sister island of Barbuda to receive a CHTAEF scholarship and will become the first Barbudan to earn a degree in culinary arts.
Koran, a two-time scholarship winner, continues to maintain a 3.65 GPA at Johnson and Wales University in Miami, while working toward a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts. She is originally from Trinidad and later moved to Antigua.
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) was established in 1987 as a stand-alone non-profit / tax-exempt organization, through which scholarships and special assistance would be made available for the education of Caribbean hotel industry personnel and students pursuing careers in tourism. As part of its mission, the Education Foundation provides people throughout the Caribbean region with an awareness of the industry’s varied career opportunities, as well as technical and professional development. To date, the Education Foundation has awarded over a US$1 million in scholarships and grants to applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to the hotel and tourism industry. For more information www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com About Interval International
Interval International operates membership programs for vacation owners and provides value-added services to its developer clients worldwide. Based in Miami, Florida, the company has been a pioneer and innovator in serving the vacation ownership market for more than 33 years. Today, Interval has a network of approximately 2,500 resorts in more than 75 countries and offers its resort clients and about 2 million member families high-quality products and programs through offices in 26 cities in 16 countries. Interval is an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: IILG), a leading global provider of membership and leisure services to the vacation industry.
