Red Lobster is one of the restaurants that falls under the Darden chain. Other restaurants owned by Darden Restaurants, Inc. include Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze LongHorn Steakhouse and The Capital Grille. All of these restaurants are sponsors of the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation, a nonprofit charity that grants scholarships and fellowships to benefit students seeking higher education at college and universities throughout the U.S.

Recipe for Success Scholarship

The Darden Recipe for Success scholarship provides awards to low-income students seeking higher education in the hospitality or culinary arts field at an accredited four-year college. At the time of publication, winners are awarded $2,500 each year toward the cost of their undergraduate study. Although students majoring in hospitality administration and culinary arts are encouraged to apply, all majors are eligible. The scholarships must be used at colleges or universities in the Atlanta, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Los Angeles or Miami metropolitan areas. Applicants should also be Hispanic U.S. citizens or Hispanic legal permanent residents, and they must be either graduating high school seniors or community college students transferring to an undergraduate program at an accredited U.S. institution. They cannot be employees of a Darden restaurant or have immediate family members who are employees. Additionally, they must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid and possess a GPA of 3.0.

Diversity and Business Ethics Fellowship

The Darden Restaurants Diversity and Business Ethics Fellowship is awarded to students who are enrolled in at least one business ethics course at the University of Florida’s graduate program. Students admitted to the University of Florida’s Hough Graduate School of Business at the Warrington College of Business Administration are automatically considered for the award. It is designed to assist graduate students who display academic and professional achievement and a commitment to ethical leadership with the cost of their graduate studies. The amount of the award varies as does the deadline.

Darden Restaurants Partner Scholarships

At the time of publication, the Darden Restaurants Foundation partners with the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association to offer $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing degrees in culinary arts or hospitality management at a school in North Carolina. Students must be college sophomores or juniors, attend a four-year college in North Carolina and be permanent residents of the state to be eligible. The scholarship is a one-time, nonrenewable award.

Darden Point Foundation Scholarship

The Darden Restaurants Point Scholarship is offered through the Point Foundation, which is dedicated to helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer students to achieve their full academic potential despite potential obstacles set before them. The annual award amount ranges from $500 to $3,000 and may be renewed. Recipients must apply for renewal. Applicants must be high school, community college, undergraduate or graduate students who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. Students must apply for this scholarship by completing the Point Foundation’s Scholarship Application Part I.

Students who qualify to move on to the second part of the application will be sent an invitation to complete Part II by a predetermined deadline. Afterward, semifinalists are chosen. Qualifying semifinalists receive a phone interview after which finalists are chosen. Finalists must then attend a mandatory in-person interview in Los Angeles. The foundation pays for travel expenses, food and lodging. After the finalist interviews, the foundation selects the scholarship winners.

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