LSU International Hospitality Foundation creates scholarship

LSU's International Hospitality Foundation board members, from left, Carlos Rosas, Directory Virginia Grenier, Gail Acree, Tom Oswald, Andrew Barry, Erick Swenson, Henry Bradsher, Carol Steinmuller and Dave Bess pose in front of Tiger Stadium after the announcement of the Virginia Grenier International Hospitality Foundation Scholarship Endowment to attract the most promising students around the world to study at LSU.

The International Hospitality Foundation has announced the Virginia Grenier International Hospitality Foundation Scholarship Endowment to attract the most promising students around the world to study at LSU.

The scholarship, named for the organization's executive director, is the first of its kind offered in the United States. Grenier has dedicated many years to the program.

A dedication ceremony to unveil and celebrate the creation of this newly endowed scholarship took place on Aug. 10 at the LSU Foundation Building, where Chairman Carlos Rosas spoke about the foundation's history and programs offered to LSU’s international students since 1960.

International Hospitality Foundation chairman Carlos Rosas, center, presents Virginia Grenier with a framed declaration of a scholarship named for her as board member Erick Swanson looks on. The Virginia Grenier International Hospitality Foundation Scholarship Endowment to attract the most promising students around the world to study at LSU and is the first of its kind in the country.

These programs have promoted friendship, intercultural understanding and assistance settling to international students in their respective living quarters.

After many successful years of fostering cultural exchange and friendship with the Baton Rouge community, the board decided to dedicate an endowment for this scholarship.

Grenier has led the foundation for more than 40 years, spearheading its growth as it created bonds of friendship between Baton Rouge families and LSU's international students.

Since 1980, she has welcomed arriving international students at LSU's Orientation Program at the beginning of each semester, arranged with local families to host them, organized Fall and Spring welcome parties at the International Cultural Center, and Spring Crawfish Boils. She also coordinated with other local civic organizations such as Rotary Club, Kiwanis and Knights of Columbus, as well as local schools, to introduce international students to the community, offered guidance and assistance to students, and filled many other roles.

From left, International Hospitality Foundation board members Margaret Hart, Director Virginia Grenier, Becky Gottsegen and Warren Gottsegen gather for the announcement of the Virginia Grenier International Hospitality Foundation Scholarship Endowment to attract the most promising students around the world to study at LSU. The scholarship is the first of its kind in the country.

For decades, many local volunteer families participated in the host friendship program. This program allowed volunteer families, who kindly invited international students into their homes and showed them around town, to also benefit from getting to know different cultures and languages from all around the world.

Grenier has dedicated her life to the program's mission. She also organized welcome parties and other activities for the benefit of students and local host families.

This scholarship endowment will continue her dedication to providing assistance to international students and fostering friendship and cultural exchange.