1971-2010

Kevin Nurse graduated from The Institute of Culinary Education's (ICE) Culinary Arts Program in 2008. Kevin triumphed over remarkable odds with his own health to graduate from ICE and become a chef. He suffered from viral cardiomyopathy and underwent a lifesaving heart transplant in 2006. At that time, Kevin decided it was time to follow his dreams and lifelong passion for food and cooking. He left his job as a courier deliveryman and enrolled at ICE. After a year of living with his new heart and following his culinary dreams at ICE, Kevin contacted the donor's family and discovered that in an amazing coincidence the donor had also attended culinary school and was working as a chef when he was suddenly killed in a motorcycle accident. With the help of 20/20, Kevin was able to meet the donor's family and learn more about him. Kevin felt that he was meant to carry on the donor's dreams and legacy. With this incredible source of motivation, Kevin found great success in the culinary world. He appeared on an episode of Grill It! with Bobby Flay and went on to lead the kitchen at the Mustang Bar and Grill in Victoria, Texas, the home state of his heart donor's family.

Late in July 2010, ICE sadly learned of Kevin's passing. The school saw it fit to honor his memory with a scholarship to carry on his legacy and celebrate his life and passion for the culinary arts, helping further carry on his inspirational story and the legacy of a heart of a chef.

ICE President & CEO, Rick Smilow said, "Kevin's story is remarkable on so many levels; drive and determination, luck and kismet, fate and heartbreak. With this scholarship, ICE wants to keep his spirit active and visible, with the hope that others' will be inspired and thankful."

• The name of the scholarship program is the ICEŽ Kevin Nurse Memorial Scholarship.


• One scholarship will be offered annually. The scholarship will be in the form of a $10,000 credit that will be applied to the student's Balance Due upon Enrollment in the Culinary Arts Program or Pastry & Baking Arts Program. A student who enrolls in the Culinary Management Program or Hospitality Management Program will have a $5,000 credit applied to his or her Balance Due. This scholarship has no cash value and may not be exchanged or transferred. The student's own funds or Financial Aid must cover the remaining balance of the tuition.


• Eligibility and Application Criteria:
  • The scholarship is intended for a student who has overcome a medical hardship afflicting himself or herself, or who has a family member with a medical hardship. The applicant must demonstrate a passion for education in the Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Culinary Management, or Hospitality Management to be eligible for the scholarship.
  • The application process will involve submitting a 1,000-word essay explaining the applicant's medical hardship, passion for cooking and why this student is deserving of the scholarship.
  • The deadline for application for the 2013 calendar year will be March 1, 2013.
  • All submissions should be sent electronically to kevinnurse-memorial@iceculinary.com. Sorry, there are no paper submissions. If you do not have access to a computer, you may use a library in your hometown. Information sent to this email address will be accessed only by authorized individuals. All submissions will be stored in the Office of Student Affairs and kept confidential in accordance with applicable law.
  • Scholarships will only be awarded to a student who meets all application, entrance requirements and who successfully complete the application and financial aid processes. To qualify, scholarships must be awarded prior to enrollment and applicants must begin their program of choice within one year of accepting the award.
  
  
• Award Criteria:
  • The successful candidate will convincingly demonstrate that he/she will carry on Kevin Nurse's spirit and passion for cooking, life and the culinary arts.
  • The successful candidate will have overcome a medical hardship, or a family member of the candidate will have overcome a medical hardship. Additional consideration will be given to candidates who have given back to the community and helped generate awareness of the affliction.
  
  
• The scholarship will function as a deduction from tuition at the time of enrollment and will be applied to the student's Balance Due. As no funds will be given directly to the scholarship recipient, there is no source of funds.


• The Scholarship Committee will select five candidates, ranked in order of who best meets the Award Criteria. The leading candidate will be offered the scholarship. The candidate will be notified first by phone call, with follow-up contact by e-mail and postal letter. The candidate will then have 45 days to complete enrollment and meet all application and financial requirements for entrance to ICE, subject to availability of seats in the class schedule. If the candidate does not complete enrollment, the process will be repeated for the next candidate in line up to the top five candidates. If the top five candidates do not manage to successfully claim the scholarship and enroll, the scholarship will be carried over to the next year and two (2) $10,000 scholarships will be awarded.


• The Scholarship Committee will include Kevin Nurse's sister, his former ICE Chef Instructor Einav Gefen, his ICE Admissions Representative Dossie Rielly, ICE Director of Education Richard Simpson, and ICE Director of Student Affairs Andy Gold. In the event one or more of the Committee members is no longer employed at ICE, unavailable or unable to perform for any reason, the school may designate another official, in its sole discretion.


• If you are not awarded the scholarship, you may reapply the following year. While each individual may only apply once per year, there is no limit on the amount of times a person may apply.


• Any scholarship applicant found to be untruthful on their application, whether whole or in part, will be disqualified from any and all consideration for this scholarship in ICE's sole discretion.

Submit a 1,000-word essay explaining your medical hardship, passion for cooking and why you are deserving of the scholarship by March 1, 2013. Send your application to kevinnurse-memorial@iceculinary.com.

Good luck to all applicants; may the drive, spirit and determination of Kevin Nurse in the culinary industry live on.