The Odyssey Foundation’s Scholarship Program
for Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Las Vegas

The primary mission of The Odyssey Foundation is to develop, coordinate and deliver educational scholarships to students enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Las Vegas. The foundation supports all individuals with the passion and dedication to pursue his or her culinary dreams; thus, assisting them to achieve their career goals in the hospitality capital of the world — Las Vegas.

The Odyssey Foundation’s Scholarship Program (Odyssey) for Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas (LCB) is intended for students who are pursuing a career in the culinary arts. Odyssey’s goal is to assist students who have the passion, commitment and talent to make a difference in the Las Vegas community as a culinary professional.

Odyssey will be distributing approximately $15,000 in scholarship funds during the 07/08 academic year. Scholarships awarded to each student will be applied toward the cost of tuition, books and fees.

Scholarships applicants will be evaluated on a point system as well as progress through a three-tier process as outlined below and as established by The Odyssey Foundation’s Scholarship Advisory Board. Student applicants who have successfully moved through stage one and stage two will be announced in March, 2008.

THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

• $1,000 scholarships are awarded to each deserving student who fulfills his or her academic and cooking requirements within an allotted time.
• $3,500 “Over Achiever Award” is awarded to one or more students for his or her outstanding academic achievements and $1,500 for the runner up for their individual outstanding culinary attributes.

STUDENT APPLICATION PROCESS

• Level 1: Deadline for Student Applications — October 8, 2007
  
• Complete The Odyssey Foundation Scholarship Application
  
• Submit verification of age 21 or over
  
• Submit verification of an accrued GPA of 3.0 or greater
  
• Submit a typed 500-word essay content must include:
      -    Why you chose LCB
      -    Your background information and any career changes, etc.
      -    How you have given back to the Las Vegas Community and/or
             the community you lived in prior to relocating to Las Vegas
  
• Submit one (1) letter of recommendation from an industry professional who is not affiliated with LCB
• Submit one (1) letter of recommendation from a LCB chef instructor


• Level 2: Deadline for student requirements — November 8-11, 2007
  
• Each student must complete no less than eight (8) hours of volunteer experience at Odyssey Las Vegas. A schedule of events will be posted at LCB so that each student may fulfill their event requirements throughout the four-day event.
  
• Ask your volunteer experience site supervisor to complete an evaluation (download form) of your performance as a volunteer and submit it to the Odyssey Foundation no later than November 21, 2007
• Submit verification of an accrued GPA of 3.0 or greater
  


• Level 3: Mystery Basket Competition — March, 2008
  
• Submit verification of an accrued GPA of 3.0 or greater
• Be available to undergo a personal 5-minute interview by Odyssey Founders Mark V. and Virginia Martino and a professor from LCB
• Participate in the mystery basket cooking competition, which will be judged by four of our city’s most celebrated chefs. One chef will judge kitchen skills and sanitation; and three judges will monitor the menu, and the list of required ingredients, plate presentation and taste
• Each of the skill sets will be judged based upon a point system


• Level 4: Over Achiever Competition — April - September 8, 2008
The two students you have scored the most accumulated points throughout the first three levels of this competition will move on to compete for the “Over Achiever” award. Each student must complete the following steps to qualify for this prestigious accomplishment.
   

• Submit verification of an accrued GPA of 3.0 or greater
• Submit a letter of recommendation from a local 501(c) (3) non-profit organization
• Submit documentation and the number of hours of volunteer work within the Las Vegas         community during your tenure with LCB
  


• Scholarship Awards: 
No less than a $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to the top 10 students who are selected to move on to Level III of the competition. In addition, Odyssey will award a student an additional $3,500 for the “Over Achiever” award and $1,500 for the runner up for their individual outstanding culinary attributes.

Any scholarship funds that are forfeited from the selected top 10 students will be given to the
“Over Achiever” award winner during the Masters Dinner at Odyssey Las Vegas, November 7, 2008.

• Each scholarship award will be dispersed to the student and LCB and will be applied to student account for the cost of tuition, books and fees
  
• For those who are selected to continue to compete for the "Over Achiever" award, Odyssey will disperse additional funding to the student after LCB has awarded their degree

Only upon the awarding of an Associate Degree from LCB will any portion of an unused scholarship award be released to the student.  Should a student withdraw from the program or have a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0, the scholarship will be forfeited.