HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwired - Jul 15, 2014) - A select group of local high school students will have a unique opportunity to pursue degrees and careers in hospitality -- and spend quality time with NBA Hall-of-Famer and philanthropist David Robinson -- thanks to Admiral Hospitality Scholars, an internship program that he launched in 2013 with support from Hilton Worldwide.
The Admiral Hospitality Scholars is supported by Robinson's real estate investment firm, Admiral Capital Group, along with the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hilton Worldwide and American Liberty Hospitality.
This year, 25 students from four HISD high schools were selected to participate.
On Monday, the students checked in at Hilton College for a three-day hospitality camp to give them an inside look at different careers in the industry and a taste of life at UH.
Robinson will be on hand for some of the initial camp activities, to get to know the students and host a special reception for them and their families at the Hilton University of Houston Monday evening.
After completing the camp, each student will be matched with a personal mentor from the hospitality industry and complete a one-year internship at a local Hilton Worldwide-branded property managed by American Liberty Hospitality.
When the students graduate from high school, they'll receive financial support toward a hospitality degree, if they choose to pursue one.
"The hospitality industry is one of the largest providers of jobs in the world and is globally diverse by nature. Admiral Hospitality Scholars will expose Houston's diverse student population to the industry at an age when they're seeking to define themselves and give them a glimpse of the types of opportunities that are available if they elect to pursue the hospitality path," Robinson said.
This will be the second group of HISD students to participate in the program, and Robinson hopes to expand it to other communities in the future. This program builds on the mission of Admiral Capital Group to maximize the community impact of every investment made by the firm.
"It is inspiring to see what can be accomplished when a group of like-minded people come together with a common goal. We are very fortunate to have dedicated partners in Hilton Worldwide and American Liberty, along with educators like Hilton College and the Houston ISD that each care deeply about increasing diversity in the hospitality industry," said Dan Bassichis, Co-Founder of Admiral Capital Group.
About Admiral Capital Group
Admiral Capital Group was founded by David Robinson, philanthropist and NBA Hall of Famer, and Daniel Bassichis, formerly of Goldman Sachs. Admiral, in partnership with USAA Real Estate Company, formed the Admiral Capital Real Estate Fund to identify value-add opportunities through equity and debt investments in office, hotel, multi-family and retail properties valued between $15 million and $50 million. The Admiral founders have also pledged 10% of their profits to philanthropic causes in areas where the fund invests, building on Robinson's lifetime commitment to support education and lower income communities. For more information, visit www.admiralcg.com.
About Hilton College
The University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in hotel and restaurant management and hospitality management and is consistently ranked among the top hospitality programs in the world. For more information about Hilton College, visit http://www.hrm.uh.edu.
