VISIT DENVER Foundation Facts
1555 California Street, Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202-4264
Phone: 303-892-1112
Fax: 303-892-1636
Email: jruffe@visitdenver.com
Chairman: Brad A. Robinette, Senior Vice President, Operations, Sage Hospitality
Contact Person: Jeff Ruffe, Vice President for Finance & Administration, 303-571-9413
Year established: 1996
Mission Statement: The VISIT DENVER Foundation’s mission is to advance the travel & tourism industry in the metro Denver area through activities and projects that enhance education, professional development and training for individuals involved or interested in the travel & tourism industry.
2010 Goals: 1) Award 20 university scholarships; 2) Support education related to the travel & tourism industry; 3) Support the homeless through Denver’s Road Home program.
Areas of Funding: Scholarships to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the travel & tourism industry at accredited, four-year universities or colleges in Colorado.
Initiatives and Funding: The VISIT DENVER Foundation, a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is generously sponsored and supported by VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau and individuals and corporations in the Denver area and beyond. The VISIT DENVER Foundation seeks to advance the travel & tourism industry in the metro Denver area through activities and projects that enhance education, professional development and training for individuals involved or interested in the travel & tourism industry.
To achieve this goal, the VISIT DENVER Foundation provides scholarships designed to support undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the travel & tourism industry at accredited, four-year universities or colleges in Colorado. Scholarships are awarded in the amount of $2,000 per academic year. Since its inception, the VISIT DENVER Foundation has raised close to $450,000 and impacted the lives of nearly 100 college students who are now beginning careers in some aspect of the travel & tourism industry.
The scholarship is open to all students meeting the criteria listed below. However, added weight is given to applicants based on financial need, who are previous VISIT DENVER scholarship recipients and who are currently employed in the hospitality industry. Applicants must be:
- Incoming freshman or returning student at an accredited four-year university or college
- Majoring in the travel & tourism industry
- Full-time (12 credits or more each quarter or semester)
- Citizen of the United States
- In good academic standing (2.0 cumulative GPA)
The annual scholarship is renewable for four years provided that the criteria above have been fulfilled. The Foundation Scholar will be required to resubmit the application prior to scholarship renewal.
How to Apply
All scholarship awards from the VISIT DENVER Foundation are contingent upon acceptance in a travel & tourism program and full-time enrollment in a four-year accredited university or college (12 credits or more each quarter or semester).
Scholarship applications will be available each March through this website. This application is for all new and renewing student scholarships. Please complete all the information requested. Incomplete applications will not be considered by the VISIT DENVER Foundation Scholarship Committee. Please contact Jeff Ruffe with questions.