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Hormel Foods Corporation has announced the recipients of this year’s two $10,000 Hormel Heroes Scholarships.

The Hormel Heroes Scholarship Program, administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), was established by Hormel Foods in 2019 to support students with military backgrounds pursuing degrees in culinary arts or a foodservice management-related program.

To date, the company has awarded $120,000 to nine students.

“As a ‘thank you’ for their service, Hormel Foods is honored to support our military members in their career aspirations,” said Mark Ourada, group vice president of Foodservice at Hormel Foods. “These scholarships are a way to show our appreciation for students who serve or have served our country and are pursuing careers in the foodservice industry. It is a pleasure to congratulate our 2023 scholarship recipients, Britany Belcher and Danny Wheeler. Thank you both for your dedicated service. We are proud to support you and your future endeavors.”

Belcher, an Air Force veteran who served as an A1C specialist, is currently a freshman studying culinary arts at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary in Boulder, Colo. As she works to acquire her associate degree, her plan is to eventually pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition. 

“Having spent the last 14 years in child nutrition in the public schools, I’ve come to recognize the dire need for quality food that is both nutritionally sound as well as delicious,” Belcher said. “Thanks to this scholarship, I won’t have to utilize student loans to acquire my associate degree. I have two small children, so funding was the deciding factor for attending school. I can now pursue my passion and fight for my community’s children without worrying about how I’ll pay back thousands of dollars in loans.”

Wheeler is an active member of the U.S. Army National Guard, serving as an E4 specialist. He is currently a senior at the University of Missouri studying hospitality management.

“I am the first generation of my family to go to college, and my parents wanted me to have opportunities they did not have,” Wheeler said. “They took it upon themselves to help in any way they could; my mother taking on a second job, my father picking up additional shifts, and myself enlisting in the military were the sacrifices we had to make for me to pursue higher education. Because of your generosity and commitment to furthering my education, the financial burden has been lifted off of my family’s shoulders. Seeing the stress being taken off my parents’ face once they heard about my scholarship was the most rewarding part of this entire experience. Your belief in my potential has left an indelible mark on my future, and I am committed to making the most of this opportunity.” 

Since 1987, the NRAEF has provided more than $26 million in scholarships and grants to over 5,500 students and foodservice educators pursuing restaurant-related degrees and professional training. For more information about the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.