ICE Announces the Kevin Nurse Memorial Scholarship

Kevin Nurse graduated from ICE’s Culinary Arts Program in 2008. What makes Kevin's story so captivating is his passion for life, family, and food. 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 life-saving 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. 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 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. Kevin Nurse’s inspirational story is one of passion and perseverance both in and out of the kitchen.

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. Given annually to one student entering ICE’s career training programs, the ICE Kevin Nurse Memorial Scholarship will carry on Kevin’s memory.

The scholarship will be given to one student annually who has overcome medical hardship and demonstrates Kevin’s remarkable enthusiasm for food and culinary education. The scholarship will function as a $10,000 tuition discount for students enrolling in ICE’s Culinary Arts or Pastry & Baking Arts programs, or a $5,000 tuition discount for students enrolling in ICE’s Culinary Management, or Hospitality Management Programs. Kevin Nurse’s sister, Diorling Nurse; 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 will all determine the recipient of the scholarship. Students applying to ICE may also apply for the scholarship by submitting a 1,000-word essay explaining their medical hardship, passion for cooking and why he or she is deserving of the scholarship to kevinnurse-memorial@ice.edu.

The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2011. For more information, go to our scholarship website. For more info about Kevin, watch this video filmed during his time at ICE.