The Wine Society of Texas (WST) will provide up to $10,000 in scholarships 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, February 1st, the Wine Society of Texas (WST), a 501c3 non-profit educational organization announced that it will be accepting applications for its annual Scholarship Program. 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 winemaking in the State of Texas. Scholarships will be awarded based on the quality of the applications. Our 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, “Our membership is very excited about being able to offer scholarships up to $10,000 again in 2024. In 2023, at our state meeting in the Comfort/Kerrville area we were able to raise money through our live and silent auctions, plus online donations, and donations from our individual chapters. This demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting 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 continues to grow both locally and nationally. We are so proud to be able to continue to support and give assistance to deserving students in 2024 and will continue to do so in the future. We are also proud to say that at least three of our previous scholarship recipients are currently serving as winemakers at Texas wineries today.”
WST has awarded over $116,000 in scholarships for 21 years. These 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 pursuing Viticulture, Horticulture, Winemaking, or Hotel Management programs, wine sommelier studies, wine marketing, and authors of books on the Texas wine and wine Industry.
The WST will be accepting applications up to April 25, 2024. 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 on or about May 15, 2024.
For more information about the scholarship program or the WST please visit our website at www.winesocietyoftexas.org.
The Wine Society of Texas, headquartered in Midland, Texas, was started in 1996 and received its 501(c) 3 non-profit status in 1999. It has about 160 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 Texas 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.
Leave a Reply