- Seven scholarships total $57,500.
- Awards will be presented across four events.
- Stacy Garcia will receive the 2026 ICON of Industry honor.
NEWH, THE GOBAL Hospitality Network, will award $57,500 in scholarships to students in hospitality design and management during BDNY week in New York City. The awards will be presented at four events Nov. 6 to 9.
The events are the Platinum Circle Awards Gala, NEWH’s booth (#373), the Power Players: Women Leaders in Hospitality Breakfast and Boutique Design’s Gold Key Awards, NEWH said in a statement.
“Our scholarship recipients exemplify the drive and creativity that keep our industry moving forward,” said Chris Tucker, NEWH CEO. “From the students we’ll celebrate throughout BDNY to the industry leaders being honored for their lasting impact, this week reflects the full spectrum of talent and dedication that defines our hospitality community.”
Founded in 1984, NEWH is a nonprofit that connects hospitality professionals and supports students in hospitality, food service and related fields through scholarships, education, mentorship and industry recognition.
Scholarships and recipients
At the Nov. 6 Platinum Circle Awards Gala, Margaret McMillan of the New York School of Interior Design will receive the $15,000 NEWH Interior Design Scholarship, sponsored by P/Kaufmann Contract. Yaman Kartay of the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design at The George Washington University will receive the $10,000 NEWH Deborah Herman Legacy Scholarship. Sejal Senorita Dsouza of Thomas Jefferson University will receive the $5,000 NEWH Clifford R. Tuttle Scholarship, sponsored by ForrestPerkins/Perkins Eastman.
At NEWH’s booth on Nov. 8, Emma Harrison and Brooklynn Mertens of South Dakota State University will receive the $7,500 Green Voice Design Competition Scholarship. Amtrend, Culp Hospitality, Florida Seating, Posh Textiles and Royal Thai sponsor the award, which recognizes sustainable hospitality design work.
At the Nov. 9 Power Players: Women Leaders in Hospitality Breakfast, Zoey Kristen Rinbrand of Florida Gulf Coast University will receive the $7,500 NEWH BrandED Scholarship in the name of Virgin Hotels. Kimberly Benavides of the University of Houston will receive the $5,000 NEWH Women Leaders Scholarship, sponsored by Boutique Design. The breakfast brings together women leaders in hospitality design, operations, investment and manufacturing to discuss industry challenges, opportunities and trends.
Gold Key Awards and ICON of Industry
At the Nov. 9 Gold Key Awards, Jessica Nassif of the Academy of Art University will receive the $7,500 NEWH ICON of Industry Scholarship. Boutique Design’s Gold Key Awards recognize excellence in hospitality design.
NEWH will also present its 2026 ICON of Industry honor to Stacy Garcia at the event. The ICON of Industry is the association’s highest honor for leaders on the manufacturing side of hospitality. It recognizes Garcia’s career in hospitality design. NEWH announced her selection in May at HD Expo in Las Vegas.
In September, the AHLA Foundation awarded more than $817,000 in academic scholarships to 256 students for the 2026-2027 academic year. The scholarships support students pursuing degrees in hospitality management and related fields across the U.S.
