June 28th, Cashmere, WA – The Washington Wine Industry Foundation proudly announces the 2024 recipients of its scholarship funds. The scholarships are awarded annually to exceptional undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in viticulture, enology, and wine-related studies and educational credentials at institutions of higher education within Washington state.
Since 2002, over half a million dollars has been awarded to over 250 Washington students with $47,000 in scholarships awarded to nine students this year.
Scholarship recipients for the 2024-25 school year are:
- Alyssa Perez – Viticulture & Enology program, WSU (Bachelor’s)
- Alyssa has 8 years of experience working in the Washington wine industry and is a single mother to two young boys as she navigates her bachelor’s degree with a major in Viticulture & Enology with a minor in Wine & Beverage Business Management. Alyssa is awarded the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine Scholarship and the Foundation Scholarship.
- Briley Ingram – Winery & Vineyard Technologies, Yakima Valley College (Associate’s)
- Briley is from Yamhill, Oregon, and is pursuing her academic and athletic dreams at Yakima Valley College, where she plays for the YVC softball team as she studies for her associate’s degree in Winery & Vineyard Technologies. Briley is awarded the Foundation Scholarship.
- Jesse Stevens – Viticulture program, WSU (Master’s)
- Jesse hails from just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, and eagerly anticipates where his career will take him after studying at the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension Center. Jesse is awarded the George & Susan Carter Scholarship and the Foundation Scholarship.
- Juliana Pazos – Enology and Food Science programs, WSU (Ph.D.)
- Juliana completed her bachelor’s in Food Science at the University of Buenos Aires before coming to WSU to study for her Ph.D. with Dr. James Harbertson at the WSU Wine Science Center. Juliana is awarded the Foundation Scholarship.
- Leyla Gonzalez – Viticulture & Enology program, WSU (Bachelor’s)
- Leyla received her associate’s degree in Vineyard Technology at Yakima Valley College before transferring to WSU, where she is in the fourth year of her bachelor’s in Viticulture & Enology. Leyla is awarded the Horse Heaven Hills Scholarship.
- Madison Shaw – Viticulture & Enology program, WSU (Bachelor’s)
- Madison is in her senior year studying for her bachelor’s in Viticulture & Enology with a minor in Horticulture at WSU. After graduating in 2025, she looks forward to giving back to the community that has supported her passion. Madison is awarded the Albert Don Memorial Scholarship and the Foundation Scholarship.
- Megan Meharg – Viticulture & Enology and Food Science programs, WSU (Master’s)
- Megan is originally from Longview, WA and is studying for her master’s degree focusing on yeast metabolomics and wine aging kinetics to better understand the evolution of smoke-related characteristics in wine. Megan is awarded the Horse Heaven Hills Scholarship and the Foundation Scholarship.
- Olivia Walker – Hospitality and Wine & Beverage programs, WSU (Bachelor’s)
- Olivia is majoring in Hospitality and minoring in Wine & Beverage, Entrepreneurship, and French. Her goal is to own a resort in her hometown of Manson, WA, where she got her initial interest in wine, working at Alta Cellar. Olivia is awarded the Walter J. Clore Scholarship and the Foundation Scholarship.
- Pierre Davadant – Viticulture & Enology program, WSU (Ph.D.)
- Pierre grew up in rural southwest France and has master’s degrees in Agriculture and Viticulture & Enology. He is studying for his Ph.D. in Dr. Markus Keller’s lab to study the impact of foliar application of nitrogen on grape and wine composition. Pierre is awarded the Foundation Scholarship.
Each of these students has displayed exceptional commitment to their education and the Washington wine industry, and were hand-selected from a pool of impressive applicants by a committee of industry members.
The Washington Wine Industry Foundation stewards several scholarship funds with slightly different eligibility criteria and uses range from tuition, books, student fees, room and board, personal expenses, child care, and other. The funds made possible by wine industry benefactors, include:
- Foundation Fund Scholarship
- The Foundation Fund was established in 2013 as an endowed fund by the Washington Wine Industry Foundation Board of Directors. This fund was created (with confirmation from the respective families) from the Charles Lill, Michael Manz, Glenn Coogan, John Farmer, Industry Need, and Rainy Day Funds. Awards range from $2,000 to $10,000 and the number of awards is determined annually. These awards are for students studying viticulture, enology, wine business management at CWU or WSU, and V&E Graduate Degree food sciences in Washington state.
- Walter J. Clore Scholarship
- Established in 1997 by the Washington Winegrowers Association, the Walter J. Clore Scholarship honors the life and achievements of Dr. Clore by awarding amounts starting at $1,000 to students studying viticulture and enology every year.
- Horse Heaven Hills Wine Grower Scholarship
- Horse Heaven Hills Wine Growers is a nonprofit group of growers and winemakers established in 2005. This fund awards two $3,000 scholarships to students interested in studying viticulture, enology, wine business management, or wine-related hospitality, with preference to students in Klickitat, Benton, or Yakima counties or whose parents are employed in the WA wine industry.
- George & Susan Carter Scholarship
- This fund was established in 2017 to honor WSU researcher and winemaker George Carter and his wife, Susan Carter. The George & Susan Carter Scholarship is a $1,000 auto-renewing scholarship awarded to one student for up to four years, intended to assist students of limited means to attain higher education degrees.
- Albert Don Memorial Scholarship
- The Albert Don Memorial Scholarship was established in 2021 to honor Albert Don, a respected innovator in ag and grape growing. This $3,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a student in viticulture or wine business management.
- The Alliance of Women in Washington Wine Scholarship
- The $5,000 Alliance of Women in Washington Wine Scholarship was established in 2021 by the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine to empower and inspire a female student pursuing higher education in any viticulture or enology related program.
Supporters of these scholarships, the recipients, and their friends and families are invited to celebrate their accomplishments at the Foundation’s Scholarship Reception in August at Terra Blanca in Benton City.
Curious how you can support the Foundation and this scholarship program? Visit https://washingtonwinefoundation.org/ to donate to scholarships!
Washington Wine Industry Foundation: The Washington Wine Industry Foundation is one of the WA wine industry’s few 501(c)(3) nonprofits, giving us the unique ability to build, steward, and distribute funding to directly meet the needs of the industry. We fund creative and sustainable solutions to challenges facing the industry and aim to empower the future of WA wine in everything we do. By managing scholarships and a sabbatical to fund educational and professional development opportunities, we’re uplifting the next generation of winegrowers and vintners in Washington state.
