Scholarship winners of the Hospitality Charitable Foundation

The Hospitality Charitable Foundation Rebrands

Scholarships and Mentorships Assist Students

BY DEBBIE HALL / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSEPH DONATO (CASHMAN PHOTO)

The Hospitality Charitable Foundation (HCF), formerly the Epicurean Charitable Foundation, is dedicated to shaping the next generation of Las Vegas hospitality leaders. Comprising more than 25 top food, beverage and hospitality executives, the foundation provides scholarships and mentorship to deserving local students passionate about hospitality or culinary arts careers.

Investing in the Future of Hospitality

HCF’s primary mission is to provide annual scholarships to Clark County high school students pursuing careers in the hospitality or culinary industries. Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic performance, extracurricular achievements, personal background and financial need.

Students awarded HCF scholarships receive up to $48,000 in financial support for tuition, books and fees at the university of their choice. Many attend the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In addition to financial aid, students benefit from the Future Leaders of Hospitality Program, which pairs them with a board member mentor throughout their education. These mentors provide career guidance, networking opportunities and assistance with job and internship placements.

“Education is something that can never be taken away, and we’re proud to give students not just financial support, but also the professional, personal and life skills they need to thrive,” said Melissa Arias, HCF’s executive director.

Arias has dedicated her career to the nonprofit sector, spending nine years at the American Cancer Society before joining HCF 20 years ago. She moved to Las Vegas 22 years ago and recently earned a master’s degree in public administration from UNLV.

Signature Events Fuel HCF’s Mission

To fund its scholarship programs, HCF hosts annual fundraising events, including its highly anticipated M.E.N.U.S. (Mentoring and Educating Nevada’s Upcoming Students) gala. The event, held at a premier Las Vegas resort, features tasting stations from top restaurants, live entertainment and high-profile attendees. Past performers at M.E.N.U.S. have included Train, Counting Crows, Lifehouse, Al Green, Sara Bareilles, Stevie Nicks, the Jabbawockeez and Chicago.

This year’s M.E.N.U.S. 2025 gala will take place at the Palms Resort Casino on Oct. 10, with more details to be announced.

“Our students are truly out of this world, and they are our stars. I am so excited about this year’s M.E.N.U.S.,” Arias said.

“The Palms has been a great supporter of ours, with great board members who worked there, and we would hold our scholarship breakfast there. Last year, we honored Cynthia Kiser Murphey, the general manager of the Palms at the time. We really just had all of these connections over the years with the Palms, and it just seemed right to hold our annual gala there this year.”

A Legacy of Success and Mentorship

Since its founding in 2001, HCF has evolved from a small food and beverage club into a leading scholarship and mentoring organization. Its board of directors represents a diverse range of hospitality professionals, from hotel executives to food and beverage leaders, all working to support and guide students as they enter the industry.

“It was during one of these times that they realized they had a lot of the hospitality power players in the room, and they really should be giving back and doing something good,” Arias said.

“That’s when we became a scholarship and mentoring foundation. There are 25 different executives that serve on the board, from hotels to special events to food and beverage to vendors. We’ve evolved to serve and encompass all of the hospitality industry. With an average family income of just under $34,000 annually, our students can bridge the financial gap to receive education and mentorship to use their academic and professional skills to thrive in the hospitality industry.”

One of the most essential things in this time of conflict is that the one thing that can’t be taken away is a person’s education. This organization gives hope while changing the trajectory of young people’s futures because HCF gives them all the professional, personal and life skills they need to succeed.

Through comprehensive workforce development programs, HCF provides students with networking opportunities, leadership training, etiquette development, and internship and job placement.

“This includes everything from dining etiquette to communication skills and having critical conversations,” Arias said.

Las Vegas struggles with gaps in education, and HCF, a local organization, can connect with the Clark County student body to help them understand what needs to be taught to be successful in the hospitality industry.

“We’re realizing that we need to teach our students business communication basics, such as making a phone call, leaving a message and following up. Our board notices these things, and those are small gaps you don’t realize are missing when you’re going into the workforce,” Arias said.

“Another thing with our board is that they work for companies that want to hire these kids, and Las Vegas students are struggling a little bit with interview skills. We are reviving a mock interview program to prepare these kids to write a resume and follow up on the mock interview. With our program, our students obtain a degree, write a professional resume and are prepared to go out on interviews. Our students have interviewed 25 of the most impressive people in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas, so they are ready to go, which is where they benefit from education and mentoring.”

One of HCF’s many success stories is Martha Morales, a former scholarship recipient who was a mother at 15 and unsure if college was an option. Through HCF’s support, she completed her degree, joined the foundation’s board and became assistant general manager for Boyd Gaming in Las Vegas. She recently became general manager and president of Valley Forge Casino Resort in Pennsylvania and continues to mentor students and give back.

Another former student who always said he would work for the Las Vegas Raiders is now a manager at Allegiant Stadium and has already earned his second promotion.

With 24 full-ride scholarships awarded in 2024 and plans to increase that number to 30 this year, HCF is expanding its reach and strengthening its commitment to Nevada students. HCF has profoundly impacted the lives of hospitality students, and they look forward to the future with renewed enthusiasm and dedication.

“The board members don’t just raise funds, but they actually see that these funds are going to students like Randy, who just graduated in December and is now a manager at a restaurant at Fontainebleau and is moving up the ranks rather quickly. They see that the money and effort given to Randy have impacted Randy’s life and that we will be able to see every point of our journey,” Arias said. “We have just brought in 10 new students to join our existing student body. Our board of directors is stronger than ever. We are at a time when we’ll be able to give more scholarships than ever. It’s incredible to see the ripple effect this has—not just for our students, but for their families, friends and the entire Las Vegas hospitality industry.”

For more information, visit hcflv.org. Follow HCF on Facebook (@hcflv) and Instagram (@hcf_lv).

Executive Board of Directors for the Hospitality Charitable Foundation:

• Michael Kennedy, Director of Food Operations at South Point Hotel Casino & Spa, President
• Tom Gorball, Director of F&B at Sunset Station, Chairman
• Anthony Olheiser, Senior VP of F&B at Fontainebleau, Vice President
• Megan Archambeault, VP of Sales at MGM Resorts, Vice President
• Alyssa Mendes, VP and General Manager at Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace, Secretary
• Kevin Ball, VP of Procurement at Fontainebleau, Treasurer