Student Spotlight: NRAEF Supply Chain Scholarship Recipient Chris Van Deventer

The National Restaurant Association Supply Chain Expert Exchange, in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, created a scholarship to help develop the next generation of Supply Chain leaders in the restaurant and foodservice industry.

Goals of the 2020 program were as follows:

• Attract foodservice focused students to careers and organizations related to industry Supply Chain Management
• Empower individuals invested in restaurants and foodservice through financial and programmatic support
• Advance skills and retention of current industry professionals to support retention

These scholarships are available to undergraduate students pursuing degrees related to foodservice and the restaurant industry who express a deep interest in supply chain management.

A total of eight $5,000 scholarship and one $1,000 scholarship were recently awarded and we are featuring each of them individually.

NRAEF Supply Chain Scholarship Recipient Chris Van Deventer

Home: North Beach, Maryland

Class Status Fall 2020: College Senior

College: University of Maryland - College Park

Major/Field of Study: Supply Chain Management and Operations

Leadership Positions: Brand Ambassador/Executive Board Member in Supply Chain Management Society

Years Working in Restaurant Industry: 3

Longest Restaurant Employer:  Outback Steakhouse

Award Amount: $5,000

What are your plans in the industry? Working in the restaurant industry, I see that there are plenty of opportunities for growth and intervention in the field of supply chain management. From things such as improving the visibility over products through the use of new technologies such as blockchain, or reducing the waste by optimizing the purchasing amounts, the restaurant industry could see many overhauls to optimize productions. I have worked as a server for several years, and have to see all of the products that go to waste simply due to poorly planned usage. I would like to see my knowledge go to use in future years through helping make the processes of restaurants more efficient, reducing in the wasted product and money.

Quote: A scholarship to me means more than just the financial implications involved with it. It means that someone is interested in making a difference in my life.