Synergy Managing Partners Dean Small and Danny Bendas are both proud graduates of the Culinary Institute of America. The caliber of training they received and the relationships they made at the CIA helped open many doors to them as they moved through their restaurant industry careers. The CIA provides one of the finest culinary educations available and is committed to elevating the foodservice industry through high standards and excellent training. Synergy is proud of its history with and ongoing connection to the CIA and is honored to be able to support the development of the next generation of foodservice professionals by sponsoring a new scholarship program.
Investing In The Future Of Foodservice
Synergy and the CIA have worked together to establish guidelines for a five-year, $50,000 fund that will provide a series of scholarships within the school’s new “Intrapreneurship” degree concentration. Launched in 2015, the concentration is designed to provide students with the financial literacy and resources to learn how to run a business, to innovate, create and overcome adversity in a real-word setting, according to the CIA.
Fostering Excellence: In Memory Of Phil Ratner
Dean, Danny and the entire Synergy team benefited from the mentorship of restaurant industry veteran Phil Ratner. Phil was the consummate businessman as well as a man with integrity, grit and honor who was generous with his financial insight and business acumen. The Synergy team continues to feel the loss of Phil’s guidance and is proud to encourage a new generation of foodservice business leaders through the creation of this new scholarship.
Scholarship Overview
- For students in the Bachelor’s degree program with financial need and a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Students are required to submit a 500-word essay describing why they are pursuing the Intrapreneurship concentration, including their career goals and how the scholarship would impact their life.
- Students would be required to submit a 500-word essay describing: 1) Why they are pursuing the Intrapreneurship concentration; 2) Their career goals; 3) Why they need this scholarship, and how it would impact their life; and 4) Any leadership roles in extra-curricular activities on campus they might have.)
- One recipient may be offered the opportunity to “intern” with Synergy to gain experience through a restaurant consulting project