University of the Virgin Islands senior Dai’sha Webster is the 2023 recipient of the Lorette Resch Scholarship, which is awarded by the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association’s (USVIHTA) Education and Training Committee. Webster was presented with $2,500 in scholarship funds on Tuesday at a ceremony held at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove.
“The Education and Training Committee is honored to award this year’s scholarship to Dai’sha. She is an exceptionally well-rounded student with an extensive list of accolades throughout her time at UVI. Her passion for tourism and hospitality extends beyond the region as she has traveled to multiple countries and participated in countless programs to expand her field knowledge.
“We’re excited to support Dai’sha in furthering her education and look forward to her bright future,” said USVIHTA President Lisa Hamilton.
Hamilton along with Scott Derrickson, general manager of Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove and past chairman of the USVIHTA Board of Directors, and Samuel Rey, owner of Host U Services and Education and Training Committee Chairman, presented Webster with her scholarship check. Funding for the 2023 scholarship was made possible through a generous donation by a USVIHTA member.
“I am honored to have received the Lorette Resch hospitality scholarship. This opportunity will propel me further in my career as a black woman in the hospitality and tourism industry. I hope to one day be able to financially assist students in achieving their goals, just as the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association has aided me,” said Webster.
Webster is in her final year of UVI’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program, and she is set to graduate in May 2024. During her undergraduate program, Webster has participated in national student exchange programs and also [has] traveled internationally with UVI, secured numerous internships both locally and nationally, and won several awards all while maintaining her honor roll status on the Dean’s List.
Despite economic challenges facing the territory since 2017, the Lorette Resch Scholarship has remained a staple of the USVIHTA Education and Training Committee as we look toward the future of hospitality and tourism. Supporting education and training allows the association and its members to usher in a new generation of tourism professionals who will aid the industry as it continues to recover and evolve.
About the Lorette Resch Scholarship: The USVIHTA Education and Training Fund was established over two decades ago to aid youth who are seeking higher education with a concentration in hospitality. In 2014, the scholarship was posthumously named in honor of Lorette Resch, an honorary member of the USVIHTA Board of Directors and scholarship contributor.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must meet the requirements for admission into the hospitality/restaurant management program or business administration program at UVI or other USVIHTA-approved hospitality schools. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a resident of the U.S. Virgin Islands for at least five years. Applicants must also submit documentation from their high school, including transcripts and recommendations, as well as an essay.
