First fundraising Foundation Hotel Management School Maastricht successful

Student Jean Maroun: "I have a passion for hospitality and want nothing more than to complete my studies. I am very grateful to the donors for this opportunity and now I am even more motivated to go to class every day!"

Second-year student Jean Maroun Bou Malhab (19) - nicknamed Bubbles - found himself in a predicament last summer; after the propaedeutic year, the situation in his home country of Lebanon meant that insufficient funds were available to complete his studies. The HMSM Foundation offered a solution and started a fundraising campaign in July. With success: in September, Jean Maroun started his second year. The sum of €25,000 - enough to complete his entire four-year course - was raised by some 150 former students, staff and other members of the hotel school community.

Heartwarming

Dean Ad Smits is proud of the result: "It is heart-warming to see that immediately after we sent the first newsletter in July, donations actually came in from all corners of the world. This illustrates the commitment of the Hotel School community, which largely consists of alumni. Apparently, our alumni also grant Jean Maroun his Funda. We are grateful for their support and proud that this has been achieved in such a short time."

Student visa

Student Jean Maroun is relieved: "I have a passion for hospitality and want nothing more than to complete my studies. Due to the political and economic situation in Lebanon, my parents can no longer support me financially and my study visa only allows me to do paid work in the Netherlands to a limited extent. And apart from a reduction in my tuition fee, I am not entitled to student grants or loans. I am very grateful to the donors for this opportunity and now I am even more motivated to go to class every day!"

About the Foundation HMSM

The HMSM Foundation was established in 2020. "Hotel school alumni have fond memories of their hotel days and are still connected to the institute after graduation. Many give guest lectures or facilitate internships and graduation projects. We also regularly receive ideas and suggestions for financial support. By establishing the foundation for the Hotel Management School Maastricht, we are responding to this wish. ", says Smits. "For us, this community feeling is the motivation to continue with the foundation and to give other young talents the opportunity to study with us. Jean Maroun is the first student to receive our support, but certainly not the last to need it."

Read more about the success stories of the Foundation HMSM.