IATAN Ronald A. Santana Memorial Professional Development Scholarships
The IATAN Ronald A. Santana Memorial Scholarship Fund was established by IATAN in memory of the late Ron Santana, former IATAN board member, past ARTA president, and travel agency owner and advisor. Mr. Santana was dedicated to the education of travel agents and championed their cause. These scholarships, made possible by travel agent associations and suppliers, are to help individuals who are interested in pursuing or enhancing their careers as travel and tourism or hospitality industry professionals.
Tourism Cares will award five IATAN Ronald A. Santana Memorial Professional Development Scholarships, in the amount of $1,000 each, to be applied to the cost of a travel-and-tourism or hospitality certificate program at a U. S. state-licensed school. To be eligible, applicants must be a minimum of 17 years of age and permanent residents of the United States, or its commonwealth or territories. Applicants must be entering or working in the travel, tourism or hospitality industry, and have successfully completed the certificate program. (Note: Applicants who are working travel agents must have worked a minimum of 6 months at an IATAN-accredited travel agency.) This scholarship is a reimbursement for a completed program; the course completion date must be no more than 12 months prior to the scholarship application deadline date.
To apply, please scan to PDF (not JPEG) file format all of the following required items and e-mail as separate documents to the Tourism Cares Scholarship Department at scholarships@tourismcares.org before 5:00 p.m. EDT on July 1st. Please be sure to include “[your last name] and IATAN Prof Dev Scholarship” in the subject line of the email and each file name.
- Completed and signed Tourism Cares IATAN Professional Development Scholarship Application. Form (download Application form), with hand signed approval of the application by the applicant’s employer (if applicable).
- Legible copy of U.S. driver’s license or passport as proof of age and permanent residency of the United States, or its commonwealth or territories.
- Résumé
- Copy of course outline with description of course of study for certificate program applicant has completed
- Letter of recommendation from the program head or advisor on official company letterhead and hand signed
- Copies of any awards or commendations applicant received relating to the travel, tourism or hospitality industry
- One-page original essay, in 12-point font size and double-spaced with one-inch margins (which is signed to verify the work is the applicant’s original) that answers the following question: What made you interested in taking training in travel and tourism or hospitality? What benefits did you receive from the program you completed? Why have you chosen to enter in or continue working in the travel and tourism or hospitality industry, and how does the program relate to your future plans as a travel and tourism or hospitality industry professional?
- Proof of both course completion and full payment from the U.S. state-licensed school offering the
travel and tourism or hospitality program, i.e. copy of certificate of course completion and copy of receipt showing full payment for the course (Note: Any expenses of the recipient in excess of the amount of the scholarship must be borne by the recipient)
For questions, email scholarships@tourismcares.org. No phone calls, please.