The Washington Wine Industry Foundation awarded $43,000 in scholarships to 13 students pursuing careers in the wine industry. The awards were made from four funds:
- Walter J. Clore Scholarship – Established in 1997 by the Washington Winegrowers Association to recognize and honor the research and lifetime achievements of this pioneering Washington vintner. Six students were awarded Clore Scholarships.
- Foundation Fund Scholarship – Established in 2013 as an endowed fund by the Foundation Board of Directors. Ten students were awarded Foundation Fund Scholarships.
- Horse Heaven Hills Wine Growers Scholarship – Established by members of the HHHWG group who are dedicated to promoting education of the grape growing and wine producing industries in Washington. Two students were awarded the Horse Heaven Hills Scholarship.
- George and Susan Carter Scholarship – Established in 2017 as an endowed fund honoring WSU researcher and winemaker George Carter and his wife Susan. One student was awarded this auto-renewing scholarship.
Scholarship winners were:
- Bailey Bromiley was raised in Waterville and is studying at Walla Walla Community College, working towards her Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture Systems. Bailey’s passion for agriculture started early but her love for viticulture developed during an internship at both a vineyard and winery. It is Bailey’s dream to meet her academic and career goals, but to also be one of the few women operating a vineyard in the Northwest. Bailey was awarded the George and Susan Carter Scholarship.
- Noel Perez is finishing his junior year at Washington State University. Upon graduation in spring of 2020, Noel will be the first in his family to have a four-year degree. Noel has maintained a perfect 4.0 while pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Viticulture and Enology. Noel has also completed the College Cellars program at Walla Walla Community College. Outside studies, Noel works as an assistant winemaker for Palencia Wine Company and worked in harvest production at Dusted Valley and as the Barrel Reserve Lead for J&S Crushing. This is his tenth year in the industry. Noel was awarded both the Walter J. Clore Scholarship and the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Margaret McCoy is a Ph.D. candidate in Horticulture at Washington State University. She is passionate about agriculture and is conducting research on sprayer technologies and improving viticulture practices. A recent visit to London sparked a drive in Margaret to work on getting Washington wines an equal seat at the international table. She looks forward to continuing to learn from and listen to the growers because they will be the men and women who will lead her and Washington wines to success. Margaret was awarded the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Kaitlin Miller Hadaway is pursuing her Master’s degree in Plant Pathology at Washington State University. Her research interests lie in the realm of grape virology. Kaitlin is interested in working as an extension educator or crop consultant in the Tri-Cities area once she graduates in December 2019. Kaitlin graduated from White River High School in 2014 and Washington State University in 2017. Kaitlin was awarded the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Nataliya Shcherbatyuk is a Ph.D. candidate in Viticulture at Washington State University. Her passion for plants began at early childhood and led her to focus her early studies on botany, eventually leading her to viticulture. Currently, her research focuses on the mechanisms of water movement in grapevines during hydraulic redistribution. The use of alternative irrigation systems is the motivation for understanding what the water transport mechanisms are. Nataliya as serves as the co-chair of Disabled Students and Allies Club at WSU. Nataliya was awarded the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Calie Judkins graduates from Prosser High School in 2019 and will be attending Washington State University in the fall. Calie will be studying Agricultural and Food Business Economics in hopes to be an economist specializing in the wine industry. She is currently interning at WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension Center assisting with various research projects exploring viruses that effect grape vines. Calie was awarded the Walter Clore Scholarship and the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Daniel Burchardt is attending his first year at Walla Walla Community College studying viticulture and enology. Daniel’s experience has been as Tasting Room Manager at College Cellars, Wholesale Manager at DAMA Wines, and bottling, cellar, and tasting room help at various other wineries. Daniel is passionate about “helping the industry as a whole do better to make sure more doors are opened for the next generation of female farmers, leaders and winemakers to make a difference and expand our footprint and perception in the wine world.” Daniel was awarded the Walter Clore Scholarship and the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Jerrisa Fisch was born and raised in Wenatchee. She plans to contribute to Washington’s wine industry after her graduation from Central Washington University through the Global Wine Trade program in winter of 2020. She has a passion for Washington wine, sustainability, and focusing on tomorrow’s workers and leaders. Jerrisa recently traveled to Southern Spain and spent nine days touring wine regions. She has also volunteered for harvest at Canyon Mist Winery and worked at Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery, assisting with production, bottling, and labeling. Jerrisa was awarded the Walter Clore Scholarship and the Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Christina Lopez was raised in wine country, but not connected until after stumbling on a tasting room “gig”. She was hooked and never looked back. Christina is pursuing a degree in Viticulture and Enology at Washington State University. She brings extensive knowledge from a variety of internships around the world including harvest in Santa Rosa, CA and in New Zealand and Australia. She is currently the Cellar Technician at Artifex Wine Company in Walla Walla. Christina was awarded a Walter Clore Scholarship.
- Artemio Ramos Ramirez has been working in the Washington wine industry for the past 11 years and has made the decision to continue his education by pursuing a Vineyard Technology degree from Yakima Valley Community College. Artemio is the Vice-President of the Wine and Agribusiness Club and works as the Greenhouse / Propagation Lead at Inland Desert Nursery. Artemio is the first in his family to attend college and works hard as both a fulltime student and employee. Artemio was awarded a Walter Clore Scholarship and Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Lacey Desserault is a sophomore at Washington State University in Pullman studying Agriculture and Food Security with a minor in Spanish. This fall, Lacey will be studying winemaking techniques in Spain. She hopes to incorporate her learnings from her study abroad into the Washington wine industry. She is passionate about agriculture and excited for her future in the industry. Lacey was awarded the Horse Heaven Hills Wine Growers Scholarship.
- Arunabha Mitra is originally from Kolkata, India and is studying at Washington State University (IAREC) in Prosser. He is pursuing a Phd. with research focused on grapevine leafroll disease with emphasis on genetic diversity and molecular biology of grapevine leafroll-associated viruses. Arunabha is dedicated to helping Washington wine become a major player in the global wine market. Arunabha was awarded a Horse Heaven Hill Wine Growers Scholarship and Foundation Fund Scholarship.
- Tara Cook is pursuing her Master’s degree in Food Science at Washington State University. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University. Tara is currently researching the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in winemaking for the potential of improving the quality of wine or achieving specific goals such as ethanol reduction.
The Washington Wine Industry Foundation helps fund solutions for the wine industry’s challenges, including the need for a future workforce that is well-educated and prepared to do great work. The Foundation’s Scholarship Program establishes, coordinates, manages and promotes scholarships for students pursuing degrees in industry-related fields. The Scholarship Program is made possible thanks to generous supporters in the wine industry.
To learn more, visit: washingtonwinefoundation.org.
