NBA Hall of Famer and philanthropist David Robinson is partnering with the University of Houston’s Hilton College, Hilton Worldwide and American Liberty Hospitality to create a scholars program that will provide HISD high school students with a pathway to a degree and career in the hospitality industry. The Admiral Hospitality Scholars (AHS) program was announced by Robinson at a kick-off event on May 20 on the University of Houston campus.

The AHS program will provide students at Yates, Worthing, Davis and Barbara Jordan high schools with meaningful hands-on experience at local Hilton Worldwide Hotels. Beginning this summer, 24 HISD students will kick-off the inaugural program with a three-day hospitality camp at the University of Houston’s Hilton College. Additionally, program participants will receive a one-year internship with a local Hilton Worldwide-branded hotel managed by American Liberty Hospitality, a mentor ship with a hospitality professional and financial support towards a hospitality degree.

“This is an extraordinary partnership and is exactly what we hope to do in every city where we invest,” said David Robinson. “This was only possible because of the support of Hilton Worldwide and the dedication of our partners, American Liberty and The Hilton College to work creatively with Houston ISD to support the local community,” Robinson added.

Houston was selected as the first city for this program because of Admiral’s purchase of the Hilton Garden Inn Energy Corridor in Houston, which will participate in the internship program. The hospitality industry is one of the largest providers of jobs in the world and is by nature globally diverse. The goal of AHS is to expose Houston diverse population of students to the industry at a young age and give them a glimpse of the job opportunities that are available if they elect to pursue the hospitality path. The program will be co-funded by Admiral Capital Group and Hilton Worldwide and is a model that will be expanded locally and nationally in the future.