Mei and Rakesh Sarna establish the “Last Mile” Scholarship for Seniors at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Mei and Rakesh Sarna have announced their generous gift to create a new scholarship available for seniors at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.

The Mei and Rakesh Sarna Scholarship Endowment will be used to advance the College’s mission by ensuring that each academic year three seniors, who have  demonstrated financial need and are just a few credits away from graduation, will receive financial support needed to help them towards graduation. “We feel education is the best gift you can give anyone,” said Rakesh Sarna, a global hospitality leader with almost 40 years within the hospitality industry.

Sarna has 35 years of experience working with Hyatt Hotels Corporation as Chief Operating Officer – International and Group President of Americas. He has also served as the Managing Director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), among many other notable titles within the industry. Sarna’s daughter, Priya is a graduate of the Hospitality Management Program at the Chaplin School.

“We are grateful to have the support of Mei and Rakesh Sarna” said Dr. Michael Cheng, Dean of the Chaplin School. “Their gift is directly impacting students by enabling them to achieve their academic goals and graduate on time.”

Students can learn more about the scholarship and its requirements by visiting https://rakeshsarnascholarships.com.

To learn how you can help students succeed at the Chaplin School at FIU, visit https://hospitality.fiu.edu/giving/.