IAEE Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Scholarship

The IAEE DE&I Scholarship was established by IAEE member Rochelle Richardson, CEM. Rochelle is passionate about setting children up for success. “There is a real need for creating opportunities for children who are just one step away from success.” The purpose of the scholarship is to promote and bring visibility to the exhibitions, meetings and business events industry for graduating high school students of diverse backgrounds and from under-served and economically and socially disadvantaged communities in order to create an equal opportunity for the recipient to achieve a two-year or four-year college-level education program. Scholarships are awarded competitively based upon pursuit of a degreed major focusing on exhibition and/or event management. The scholarship includes up to $2,500 in tuition assistance.

Required Information/Documents:
Proof of combined family income of less than $120,000 (combined parents and student)
Completed scholarship application (online form)
High school-issued official transcript (upload)
Acceptance letter in a full-time undergraduate program at an accredited college, university, junior or technical college with a degreed major focusing on exhibition and/or event management.
Essay submission (online form)
Two letters of recommendation from high school teachers or high school counselor that note this scholarship or a general To Whom It May Concern (upload)
Resume (upload). Must include:
List your extra-curricular activities, both in and out of school, and the years of participation.
List positions of leadership you have held, both in and out of school (e.g. Community Groups, Service Organizations, Philanthropy).
List awards and honors you have received in both academic and extra-curricular activities.
List work experience (paid or voluntary). Include the job title, the average number of hours worked per week, and the dates of employment.

Questions about this scholarship should be directed to:

Beverly Benbow, M.Sc.
Director of Governance, IAEE

Logo with text that says "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. IAEE Scholarship." with an illustrated graphic of graduation cap and shaking hands.

Applications will open from 01 March to 01 May 2025.

All donations are made through the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).  The CEIR Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3). Contributions to the Foundation may be deductible as a charitable contribution for Federal Income Tax purposes. Please consult your tax advisor.

The 2024 IAEE DE&I Scholarship recipient is:

Qiyue He

Josiah Quincy Upper School
*Accepted to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst to pursue a Hospitality Management Degree

“The reason that I want to study Hospitality Management is because when I was young, my mom’s job required her to travel to different cities. The thing I’ve heard from her the most is that she feels homesick while living in hotels. Since then, I really wanted to major in hospitality. One of the things I did to achieve my goal was having job experience. During my high school senior year, I had an internship at Pao Arts Center. Each season we have different exhibitions, every time I work with my team to find artists around the country and make an exhibition happen. I love the experience of working in a team, but also because of my supervisor’s good management skills. She listens to everyone’s ideas and combines them, no one was left behind on the planning process. She very inspired me to go into the management field. With my Hospitality Management degree, I hope to become a hotel manager.”
– Qiyue He