Pathways to Success: Scholarship & Professional Development Program
Empowering the next generation of tourism and hospitality leaders.
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Applications are Now Open!
2026 applications for Pathways to Success are officially live! Review application requirements and the 2026 scoring rubric below.
Application deadline: January 20, 2026
The Destinations International Foundation is proud to introduce the Pathways to Success: Scholarship & Professional Development Program, a thoughtfully expanded evolution of our former HBCU Scholarship program. Designed to broaden access and opportunity, this program supports students pursuing careers in hospitality and tourism management at accredited colleges and universities across the United States and Canada.
Through the Pathways to Success Fund, each selected student receives up to $8,000 annually toward tuition along with access to professional development, mentorship and event attendance. Applicants are full-time students who have demonstrated academic excellence, financial need and a commitment to leadership and service.
By pairing financial support with skill-building opportunities and community connections, the Pathways to Success Program empowers future leaders to launch meaningful careers while contributing to a stronger, more inclusive tourism and hospitality industry.
Program Benefits
- Financial Support: Receive scholarship funding to offset tuition costs and support your academic journey toward a career in tourism.
- Meaningful Connections: Build relationships with fellow scholars and industry leaders through structured networking and mentorship designed to support your growth. The experience culminates in-person at DI’s Annual Convention in July.
- Future-Ready Professional Development: Access targeted workshops and learning experiences that strengthen your leadership, professional skills and understanding of the tourism and destination landscape.
- Increased Visibility: Gain exposure across the global destination community, expanding your opportunities post-graduation.
"Being able to take this trip with scholars from different schools and communicate with them about what we want to do in our future, as well as being in a different city with such rich culture, was so special."
How the Fund Supports Students
Scholarship Support
Each selected student receives up to $8,000 annually toward tuition.
Professional Development
Each student receives professional development opportunities in the form of mentorship, industry events, networking and travel assistance.
Help Us Reach Our 2026 Fundraising Goal by April 1, 2026
"I learned so much about the wide range of job opportunities available within the industry! It was exciting to discover careers I didn’t even know existed. This experience has truly inspired me to explore the field further and dive deeper into the possibilities ahead."
Invest in Future Generations of Tourism Leaders
"It was such a surreal experience on stage being highlighted in front of so many industry professionals being this year’s scholarship recipients. Having other industry leaders come and congratulate us or just ask what we want to do in our journey was a big accomplishment in my book!"