Sodexo Pledges $150,000 for CIA Scholarships and Creates Externship

HYDE PARK, N.Y., June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sodexo, the leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions, has pledged a gift of $150,000 toward scholarships at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), San Antonio. The scholarships will provide additional educational opportunities for Hispanic students who aspire to be the foodservice leaders of tomorrow. Sodexo is also establishing a new paid externship for students at the college's San Antonio campus.

The newly established Sodexo Scholarship Fund will provide two scholarships a year for the next three years for qualified Hispanic students. One scholarship is for new students who enroll at the CIA San Antonio. The other will help current students demonstrating financial need, who maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. In addition, Sodexo is creating an externship beginning in 2012, for CIA San Antonio students to complete the required field experience to earn their associate degrees.

"Sodexo is proud to be able to assist talented individuals who otherwise might not be able to access the world-class education The Culinary Institute of America provides," says Lorna Donatone, chief operating officer and education president for Sodexo. "This is a win-win for the students and Sodexo, because our company will now have a wider and more diverse group of talented CIA graduates from which to recruit our future leaders."

Sodexo has a long relationship with the CIA, including participating in the college's quarterly career fairs to hire students for externships and management positions throughout the company. As part of this gift, CIA Career Services will work with Sodexo to create a customized employee recruitment plan.

The Culinary Institute of America

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. As the world's premier culinary college, the CIA has a network of more than 40,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Michael Chiarello, Cat Cora, Steve Ells, Todd English, Duff Goldman, Sara Moulton, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The college has campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore. In addition to its degree programs, the CIA offers courses for professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting services for the foodservice and hospitality industry. For more information, visit the CIA online at www.ciachef.edu.

Sodexo in North America

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $15 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

SOURCE Sodexo, Inc.