The Philippus Miller III
Hotelie for Life Prize Endowment

In 2017, the Cornell Hotel Society and the Cornell Hotel Society Foundation jointly assumed the sponsorship of the former Joseph Drown Special Prize previously supported by The Joseph Drown Foundation that was established in 1953.

In its current form, this special prize is awarded to graduating seniors in the School of Hotel Administration. One senior recipient will be selected to receive a $5,000 cash prize and will address that year’s graduating class at the Hotel School Commencement ceremony in May. Semi-finalists will also receive a monetary award of $1000. All finalists are also awarded a Life-Time Membership in the Cornell Hotel Society and are asked to serve as ambassadors for CHS as they pursue their respective careers.

Finalists must be able to participate in the required on-campus interview in the fall, and the award ceremony luncheon with the Dean of the Hotel School in May. The students are also showcased during the CHS Membership Meeting at HEC in March.

The general criteria for the prize include:

1. Academic Standing
2. Co-curricular activities
3. Work/Internship experience
4. Dedication to school and industry objectives
5. Faculty and Employer recommendations
6. Interview

The student selected should be “the best all-around student for that year.”  The ideal winner is described as “the student who is not necessarily the most visible and well known, but one who best demonstrates and embraces what it means to be a Hotelie for Life”.

As we all know, Phil was the ultimate Hotelie. He was generous, kind, a great connector of people, and genuine. In the spirit of Phil’s legacy, CHS and the CHS Foundation have officially re-named this very special award in his honor.

To preserve the ability to award this prize indefinitely in Phil’s name, we have created the

The Philippus Miller Hotelie for Life Prize Endowment

This Endowment Fund was established with a goal to receive gifts totaling at least $187,500 within five years. In making this commitment, the Endowment qualifies for $62,500 in matching funds bringing the total Fund to at least $250,000.  Annual returns from the Fund will be targeted to cover the prize expenses with any remainder being reinvested in the Fund.

We encourage you to generously support this Endowment and to help keep Phil’s legacy alive for generations of Hotelies to come.