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Culinary Scholarships at the CIA

Many culinary scholarships are available for CIA Students

The CIA believes that paying for college is a partnership. As a not-for-profit college we work with various donors and supporters to ensure that our students have access to a wide range of culinary scholarships and grants. Approximately 90% of our students receive some form of financial aid! Check out some of the ways our students are paying for their education:

Culinary Scholarships -- Pepsi
  • PepsiCo brought Super Bowl Game Day Grub Match exclusively to CIA students. Student teams competed to create the ultimate tailgate food for a panel of celebrity judges, headed by CIA graduate Anne Burrell ’96. A $5,000 culinary scholarship wasn’t the only thing on the line, the winners also earned a trip to the Super Bowl!
BPS senior dinner
  • Sponsors and companies aren’t the only ones raising money for culinary scholarships. CIA students are part of the action, too! Management program students are responsible for planning, organizing and executing a charitable dining event as their senior project. The profits are split between CIA scholarships and a charity chosen by the class. So far, they’ve raised over $300,000!
The Chili Cookoff at CIA
  • Have a killer chili recipe? How about chowder? Students entering one of the CIA Student Activities Office’s cook-offs can impress their peers while competing for thousands of dollars in prizes.
Guest check presentation and Amuse cards
  • Did you know that the gratuity collected at all our on-campus, public-service restaurants goes toward CIA student culinary scholarships?

All these opportunities—and the many we haven’t mentioned—make a huge impact on our students’ lives. But don’t take our word for it, take theirs:

“This scholarship will help me immensely. It will allow me to focus on my career rather than worry about finances. It will allow me to think clearly and truly enjoy what I do.” – Maria Ciccotelli

“Had it not been for the Mary and Francesco Giambelli Endowed Scholarship that I received, I could not have completed my bachelor’s degree.” – Ciro Vincenzo Fodera

“I am paying for college myself with loans. So I am intensely grateful for all of the scholarships I have received. Every little bit I receive in the form of scholarships helps ease the burden. Plus, it is nice to be recognized for the hard work I am doing. I appreciate donors’ investment in my education and hope to pay that forward when I am out in the world after graduation.” – Katie Sanchez

“Thanks to my scholarship program and gracious donors like C.H. Guenther & Son, Inc., I am able to fulfill my dreams.” – Antonio Ruiz

“Being able to go back to school seemed unlikely. But thanks to the CIA scholarship program, it has become, and continues to be, a reality. I am grateful for the program, the McCann Trust, and the CIA staff who work hard to provide the information and opportunities to students like me.” – Joiola Thomas

Culinary Scholarships