The Wine Society of Texas Announces 2019 Scholarship Grant Recipients
The Wine Society of Texas will provide up to $10,000 in assistance to worthy students or individuals pursuing wine and winery education, internship, field study, research work, grape growing, wine making and marketing in the state of Texas.
On Thursday March 21, 2019 The Wine Society of Texas (WST), a 501c3 non-profit educational organization announced that it will be accepting applications for its annual Scholarship Grant Program. In order to apply for the grant, individuals must be: (a) attending institutions in the State of Texas studying viticulture and oenology, or (b) pursuing winery internships in Texas, or (c) involved with Texas winemaking or field studies / wine education, or (d) involved in promoting the education of grape growing and wine making in the State of Texas. Grants may be given based on the quality of requests in the amount totaling up to $10,000. The scholarship program is consistent with the founding idea of WST and its continuing mission to help promote Texas winemakers and grape growers, enhance the appreciation of wines, foster the knowledge of oenology and viticulture, and support charitable activities.
According to Ms. Shirley Choate, WST President, “The WST Scholarship program offers financial assistance for tuition, books, or for related travel expenses for individuals registered or in a program of study with a Texas university or college offering accredited courses in viticulture or oenology. Financial assistance can also be provided for winery internships in Texas or for Texas winemaker studies. The funding for the WST Scholarship program is provided from charitable donations, local WST Chapter fund raising events, and various WST statewide wine events such as the wine education seminars. Our scholarship program continues to support talented individuals, attending Texas institutions, who will be the future of the wine and hospitality industry in Texas as the appreciation and reputation of Texas wines and wineries continue to expand both locally and nationally. ”
WST has awarded over $77,000 in grants over the past 16 years. The awards have been used for a variety of purposes - research for the Texas wine industry including Pierce’s disease, Wine Symposium and Conferences, financial assistance for students attending Viticulture, Horticulture or Hotel Management programs, wine sommelier studies, wine marketing and authors of books on the Texas Wine Industry.
The WST will be accepting applications up to June 15, 2019. All applications must be returned by this date, fully completed and with all necessary documents, to The Wine Society of Texas. Applicants are required to fill out the WST Scholarship Application, which will be reviewed by the WST Scholarship Committee. The committee may recommend a single or multiple awards depending on the quality of applications received. All decisions will be final and applying does not guarantee receiving a grant. The WST scholarship award(s) will be announced in the summer of 2019.
For more information about the scholarship program or the WST please visit our website at www.winesocietyoftexas.org.
The Wine Society of Texas (www.winesocietyoftexas.org), headquartered in Midland, Texas, was started in 1996 and received its 501(c) 3 non-profit status, in 1999. It has about 150 members around the State of Texas. The WST mission is: to enhance the appreciation of wine, especially Texas wines; educate the experienced as well as the beginning wine taster; promote the wine makers, and grape growers; foster the knowledge of oenology and viticulture; help in charitable activities throughout the state of Texas; and promote the responsible consumption of wine. It organizes events that promote appreciation of wine through education in a comfortable social setting. The WST offers annual grants from its Scholarship Fund to assist in wine education, internships and field training.
$3,000 James F. Whitley Founder’s Grant is awarded to Madison Hawkins.
“Ms. Hawkins is an Undergraduate student at Texas A&M majoring in Agriculture Economics with a minor in Horticulture. She is also working on obtaining certification in Enology and Professional Event Management. Her long
range goal is to own her own winery. Ms. Hawkins was a 2017 WST Jim Evans Winemaker Grant recipient.”
$2,000 Russell Kane Grant is awarded to McKenna Keele.
Ms.Keele is beginning her senior year at Texas Tech and is working towards her bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Science - Viticulture and Enology. After graduation she plans to pursue a Master’s Degree. Ultimately she would like to have her own vineyard.”
$1,500 Paul Bonarrigo Grant is awarded to Camille Hicks
“Ms.Hicks is currently beginning to work towards obtaining a Viticulture Certificate from Texas Tech. She is a Wine Sommelier/Consultant in Houston and has obtained a Specialist of Texas Wine Level 1 Certification. Her long range goal is to own a vineyard and winery in east Texas on family owned property.”
$1,500 Merrill Bonarrigo Grant is awarded to Carlos Elizondo
“Mr. Elizondo is a graduate student at Texas A&M pursuing a Master of Science degree in Horticulture with an emphasis on Enology and Sensory Science. Through the use of sensory science he wants to help Texas wineries solve wine quality issues that arise with making wine in unforgiving heat in Texas. Mr. Elizondo was a 2017 WST Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo Grant recipient.”
$1,000 Wine Society of Texas Grant awarded to Sherah Mills
“Ms. Mills is working on her last semester of graduate school. She will earn her Master’s Degree in Plant and Soil Science – Viticulture from Texas Tech University in December 2018. After graduation, her plans include promoting her family’s winery and newly opened tasting room in Fredericksburg. The tasting room will help promote small family businesses and wineries in Texas. Sherah is a 2016 WST Russ Kane Grant recipient.”
$1,000 Wine Society of Texas Grant awarded to Matthew Bauman
"Mr. Bauman is a doctoral student engaged in wine-focused research at the Texas Wine Marketing Research Institute at Texas Tech University. He is currently conducting field research to understand the wine club model as well as study the importance of wine tourism clusters, namely in Fredericksburg, Grapevine and the High Plains area. His long-range goal is to obtain a position as a professor and teach courses about wine marketing, wine tourism and wine appreciation."
This is the sixteenth year that the WST has provided grant assistance through the Scholarship Grant Program providing over $77,000 in total. “This year we had the most applicants than we’ve ever had, which demonstrates the passion of young students to venture into the Texas wine industry and helping in its growth. Therefore, The Wine Society is pleased to continue its long tradition of providing meaningful scholarships to these worthy individuals. This is our way of “going local” to support Texas talent and invest in the future of the Texas wine industry.” said Ms. Shirley Choate, State President of the WST.