| The aspirations of two young women dissolved
when their lives were cut short on September 11, 2001. But
now, they will always be remembered in a place where they
began to cultivate their dreams.
A room in the future home of the School of Hospitality Administration,
at 930 Commonwealth Avenue, will be dedicated to Lisa Frost
(SHA’01, COM’01) and Heather Ho (CGS’89,
SHA’92) as a reminder of both women’s ambitions.
Frost dreamed of returning home to California after graduation;
having just completed a summer assignment at Boston’s
Where to Eat magazine, she was aboard the San Francisco–bound
Flight 175 from Logan Airport, which struck the south tower
of the World Trade Center. Ho, a Culinary Institute of America
graduate and former chef of San Francisco’s Boulevard
restaurant, dreamed of owning a pastry shop; since May 2001,
she had been executive pastry chef at the Windows on the World
restaurant on the 107th floor of the north tower.
To honor Frost and Ho and to raise money for their memorial,
the first annual School of Hospitality Administration Benefit
Auction and Reception was held in Boston last November. In
attendance at the Omni Parker House event were more than 200
students, alumni, and restaurant and hotel hospitality workers.
The auction raised more than $30,000, a portion of which will
benefit the Lisa Frost Memorial Scholarship, established by
her parents, Thomas and Melanie. A $5,000 award will be given
each year to the applicant who best reflects Frost’s
academic perseverance, active roles in extracurricular activities,
participation in student government, and motivation to excel.
Very much a presence on campus, Frost was co-president of
the SHA Student Government, a volunteer in the Office of Admissions,
a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, and a recipient
of the Scarlet Key Service Award.
Ho’s mother, Mary, says she appreciated that Heather
was “memorialized well where others will follow in her
footsteps,” stating that every school Heather had attended
is remembering her in some way. “I’m happy to
know that her memory is being carried on throughout elementary
school to her professional life,” she says.
Mr. Frost says he was “stunned” by how much money
was contributed. “Lisa made an impression on people,”
he says, remembering her strong commitment to community service
and her beautiful smile. Promising that he and his wife will
see to the perpetuity of Lisa’s memorial scholarship,
he says, “I know the recipients will make Lisa’s
dream come true.”
— Hannah Gaw
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