Through a generous contribution from the J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation, DECA is able to provide fifteen (15) $750 travel scholarships to high school DECA members.
For scholarship eligibility, applicants must demonstrate the need for financial assistance and be competing at the 2025 DECA International Career Development Conference in one of the following competitive events:
- Hotel and Lodging Management Series Event (HLM)
- Hospitality Services Team Decision Making Event (HTDM)
- Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research Event (HTOR)
- Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling Event (HTPS)
- Principles of Hospitality and Tourism Event (PHT)
- Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series Event (QSRM)
- Restaurant and Food Service Management Series Event (RFSM)
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making Event (STDM)
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series Event (SEM)
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research Event (SEOR)
- Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making Event (TTDM)
- Virtual Business Challenge Hotel Management (VBCHM)
- Virtual Business Challenge Restaurant (VBCRS)
- Virtual Business Challenge Sports (VBCSP)
Deadline: Applications must be submitted online by midnight PST on March 21, 2025.
The application is in the student member portal. Once there, applicants must enter their username (membership number) and password. For password assistance, students should check with their DECA advisor.
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation was established in 1965 with the purpose of giving back to the community. In 1985, shortly after the passing of J. Willard Marriott, Sr., the Foundation began actively making grants, led by Alice Sheets Marriott. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting exceptional nonprofit organizations that provide civic and human services, foster educational achievement, expand opportunities for youth and adults, develop the next generation of hospitality leaders and lead innovation in health and medicine. The Marriott Foundation is guided by a board of Marriott family members and a small, professional staff, working together to carry on the values and legacy of J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott.