2023 Scholarship

The 2023 Scholarship Program Awards totaling $7,000 to students for assistance in wine and winery education, internship or field study in Texas, research work as it pertains to grape growing, and wine making in the state of Texas.

“This demonstrates our commitment to supporting talented individuals, who will be the future of the wine and hospitality industry in Texas.”

— Shirley Choate, State President of the WST

Recipients

Michael Cook

Cassie Marbach

Tiffany Menacci

  • Mr. Cook is a full-time Extension Viticulturist completing his Ph.D. in Horticulture at Texas A&M University. He obtained his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University, majoring in Horticulture, and his Master of Science from Fresno State University with a major in Viticulture and Enology.

    His Ph.D. project focuses on understanding grapevines’ stress response and resiliency from the perspective of a “whole plant” system, all the way down to the metabolic and genomic level in hot continental climates.

    Michael currently serves on the boards of the American Society of Viticulture (Eastern Section), the National Viticulture and Enology Extension Leadership Conference, and the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, to name a few. In addition, he has received numerous awards and honors over the last ten years.

  • Mrs. Marbach is currently a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M University and plans to obtain her Ph.D. in August 2024. Afterward, her goal is to pursue WSET Level 4 certification. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree, concentrating in Viticulture and Enology, while graduating Summa Cum Laude.

    Cassie’s research focuses on:

    1. Exploring innovative ways to encourage consumers to try hard-to-pronounce varietals,

    2. Examining the economic viability of producing verjus in Texas, and

    3. Providing new insights into cluster thinning.

    Cassie was previously awarded Wine Society of Texas scholarships in 2021 and 2022.

  • Mrs. Menacci is currently the winemaker and outside sales manager for Haak Winery. She is pursuing WSET Level 3 certification from the Texas Wine School. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Microbiology from Texas A&M Corpus Christi and a Master of Science in Hydrologic Sciences from Boise State University. Additionally, she earned a Winemaker Professional Certificate from Texas Tech University.

    Tiffany is proud that Haak’s 2022 Dry Blanc Du Bois won Platinum at the 2023 Texsom Awards. She is also honored to have been awarded a Wine Society of Texas Scholarship in 2020 and 2021.