Sands and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Award 10 Scholarships to Hospitality Students

Sands and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) have awarded $5,000 scholarships to 10 students at HACU-member schools, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and University of North Texas (UNT), to support their preparation for careers in the hospitality industry.

Sands Hospitality Advancement Scholarships provided through HACU, the only national association representing Hispanic-serving institutions, represent Sands’ commitment to building a thriving hospitality industry workforce.

UNLV and UNT students who are majoring in hospitality or are interested in a career in the industry and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 were eligible to apply for the scholarship.

“HACU’s partnership with Sands providing scholarships for students working toward careers in the hospitality industry has proven to be a great success in supporting their aspirations,” HACU Interim CEO David Mendez said. “These scholarships pave the way to success for students in their educational pursuits toward their future careers and give potential employers an educated, well-prepared workforce.”

Sands’ engagement with HACU for hospitality scholarships is one of the company’s many hospitality education initiatives, which include the Sands Hospitality Scholarship Program in Singapore, the Sands Hospitality Immersion Program in Las Vegas, the University of North Texas Las Vegas Study Tour, contributions to higher education institutions in Macao, on-property and industry-supported training opportunities for students and hospitality professionals, and mentorship and instruction from company leaders.

“We provide students with financial resources for their hospitality studies to empower their success, as well as ensure our industry has strength, depth and diversity in talent for the future,” Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs, said. “We wish our recipients a successful semester and a future that is ripe with the opportunities our multifaceted industry can bring.”

Sands’ focus on hospitality education is a core component of its 2021-2025 ambition to invest $200 million in workforce development, which the company surpassed a year early at the end of 2024.

“Though our workforce development target was met, the commitment is continuous, and supporting hospitality education in our regions and corporate headquarters is a top priority,” Reese added.

To learn more about Sands’ workforce development and hospitality education initiatives, read the company’s latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.

To learn more about Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, visit https://www.hacu.net.