MIAMI & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer's) and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) today announced the winners of five Black Hospitality Initiative (BHI) student scholarships. Southern Glazer’s, the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and the GMCVB, the official marketing organization for Greater Miami and Miami Beach, award these scholarships as part of the BHI program, a nonprofit focused on advancing economic participation and opening doors of opportunity for Black employees in the Greater Miami hospitality industry.
The following four students were awarded a BHI Scholarship, funded by Southern Glazer’s, based on their academic achievement, industry experience, personal strengths, and leadership:
- Alem Richardson, a Culinary Arts student at Miami Dade College
- Azel Ciriaco, a first-generation student studying Aviation Management at Florida Memorial University
- Danielle Montgomery, a first-generation college student majoring in Culinary Arts at Florida International University (FIU)
- Paige Johnson, currently enrolled in Florida International University’s Hotel & Lodging Management program
“Alem, Azel, Danielle, and Paige are all clearly powerful young women poised for success in their respective careers,” said Terence Goods, Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. “Helping them get one step closer to realizing their dreams is what this program is all about. Showing Black students that diversity and inclusion is paramount to Southern Glazer’s is incredibly important to us as a Company. We hope they recognize that as the type of work culture they want to be part of when they graduate and gravitate toward companies like ours that are making that a top priority.”
"For the past thirty years, our Black Hospitality Initiative (BHI) graduates have emerged as industry leaders in hotels, cruise lines, restaurants and tourism operations throughout Greater Miami and Miami Beach," said Al West, CDME, Chief Financial Officer & Senior Vice President, Finance & Administration of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB).
Earlier this year, Southern Glazer’s awarded its first scholarship to Maya Roberson, a Culinary Nutrition major at Johnson & Wales University. The Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Scholarship program will provide scholarships over the course of five years to students who meet the Initiative’s scholarship criteria. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be of African American descent and meet certain GPA standards while currently enrolled in hospitality and tourism programs at Miami Dade College, Florida International University, or Florida Memorial University. Southern Glazer’s total contribution to BHI will award 15 hospitality student scholarships over the course of 15 semesters.
The program is part of Southern Glazer’s philanthropic initiatives to help fight racial injustice and provide educational opportunities for Black students. To learn about additional actions Southern Glazer’s has taken to promote racial equality—from philanthropic grants and community education programming, to internal workplace initiatives and programs to support Black- and minority-owned wine and spirits businesses—click here.
Founded in 1991 by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), the Black Hospitality Initiative (BHI) has encouraged the expansion of leadership roles and the participation of Black employees in greater Miami's visitor and hospitality industry. For more information on the BHI’s mission and hospitality scholarships, visit https://www.blackhospitalitymiami.org/.
About the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB)
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is an accredited, independent not-for-profit sales and marketing organization whose mission is to attract visitors to Greater Miami & Miami Beach for leisure, business, and conventions. For a vacation guide, visit our website at www.MiamiandMiamiBeach.com or call 1-888-76-Miami (US/Canada only) or 305-447-7777. To reach the GMCVB offices dial 305-539-3000. Meeting planners may call 1-800-933-8448 (US/Canada only) or 305-539-3071 or visit www.MiamiMeetings.com. To get further engaged with Greater Miami & Miami Beach, join the conversation by following us on our social media channels at Facebook.com/visitmiami, Twitter.com/miamiandbeaches, Instagram.com/miamiandbeaches and Pinterest.com/miamiandbeaches.
About Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s pre-eminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and proud to be a multi-generational, family-owned company. The Company has operations in 44 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and Canada. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sgwinespirits and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SouthernGlazers.
