The Foundation's mission is to help people build careers that improve their lives, and strengthen the lodging industry. We achieve this through:Scholarships - Since its inception, AHLEF has invested more than $10 million in scholarships to hospitality management students. AHLEF administers eight different scholarship programs, ranging from incoming freshman to graduate level hospitality management students. With skyrocketing tuition, AHLEF scholarships are often a game changer for many struggling students and industry workers looking to advance their careers. Without these scholarships, some of the best and brightest students would not have the opportunity to obtain the necessary training and education needed to improve their lives and build meaningful careers in the lodging industry.Funding Essential Research - The Foundation has granted $3.5 million to provide vital funding to help tell the industry's story and educate the public. Our research addresses critical issues such as evaluating the impact of hotels on cities around the country, compiling lodging taxes and their impact, training hotel employees to recognize and react to child trafficking, and ADA.Workforce and Professional Development - Since 2003 more than $3.3 million has been expended to encourage career interest in the lodging field through programs such as a high school program curriculum, Hospitality and Tourism Management Program (HTMP), and the entry-level training program, Skills, Task, and Results Training (START). So far, the HTMP curriculum is taught in 518 high schools and prepares juniors and seniors for roles in the lodging industry. START is offered in 382 workforce training locations and high schools around the country and provides entry-level training to a myriad of individuals including youth, immigrants, and refugees, formerly homeless adults, prison inmates, people with disabilities, displaced workers, and military veterans. These programs are key resources, which ensure the workforce has a clear path to build long-term careers in the lodging industry.