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

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

“Each year, we provide two $10,000 Hormel Heroes Scholarships to show our appreciation for students who serve or have served our country and are pursuing careers in the foodservice industry,” said Mark Ourada, group vice president of Foodservice, Hormel Foods. “Hormel Foods has a long history of supporting the military and this program is just one example. Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients, Nelson Lister and Marie Stimpson, and thank you for your service.”

Lister serves in the U.S. Navy. He attends Ashford University and is pursuing a degree in supply chain management and operations. Lister would like to become a materials manager of a major company and would also like to open his own restaurant.

“I would like to thank Hormel Foods for seeing the potential in me and allowing me to use this scholarship to achieve my goals,” Lister said. “Words cannot express my joy and appreciation. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.”

Stimpson is a retired master sergeant with more than 30 years of service in the U.S. Army. She is pursuing a degree in culinary management at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College and dreams of becoming a chef and opening her own pastry/homemade candy store.

“Thank you for lifting my financial burden so I can focus more on the most important aspect of school: learning,” Stimpson said. “Your generosity has inspired me to one day give back to the community by helping other students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.”

“We’d like to congratulate Nelson Lister and Marie Stimpson for winning the 2018 Hormel Heroes Scholarships,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of the NRAEF. “Thank you to Hormel Foods for making this scholarship possible, and for the opportunity to invest in the future of our industry with these incredible men and women who have served our country.”