Toasting Their 7th Graduating Wine Studies Class with Oregon Bubbles in the Heart of the Willamette Valley
McMinnville, OR – June 2, 2024 — The atmosphere was bubbly as family, friends, and wine department staff gathered to celebrate the ten new graduates from Linfield University’s Wine Studies program. The cheerful celebration took place at Acorn to Oak, the University’s student-run tasting room, nestled on the picturesque main street of historic McMinnville. While clinking glasses filled with RMS sparkling brut from neighbor winery Roco, Business School Dean Jennifer Madden warmly offered enduring support from the close-knit Linfield community. Anna Maria Ponzi, the Center’s Director and Chair of Wine Studies, moved everyone with a toast to their future in the industry and presented each graduate with the substantial Oxford Companion to Wine by Janis Robinson.
These talented graduates are already making waves in the wine world, having secured positions at renowned wineries including Furioso Vineyards and Joe Dobbes, while others are gearing up for the 2024 harvest season in the Willamette Valley. One student will continue their education through Linfield’s five-year joint bachelor’s and graduate degree program with Ecole Superieure d’Agriculture (ESA) in Angers, France.
Linfield’s Wine Studies program is renowned for its innovative approach, integrating a liberal arts education with wine and business courses, as well as hands-on industry training. Director Ponzi highlights the program’s unique positioning “Being under the business department sets us apart from other U.S. wine programs that are viticulture-focused and based in the agriculture department. We are a program that equips students for success in management, executive, and proprietorship positions in multiple sectors of the wine industry.” Students gain valuable knowledge through immersive courses, ranging from Sensory Evaluation to Event Management & Hospitality.
This fall, Linfield will make history again when it welcomes the first cohort of the 12-month accredited Master of Science in Wine Business Leadership program. This advanced degree is designed to equip students with the expertise to thrive in the dynamic and ever-changing wine industry, with courses including Designing and Developing High Impact Teams, Wine Marketing & Hospitality, Wine Sales, Wine Business & Financial Analysis, Wine Law & Compliance and an International Capstone.
Explore the exciting opportunities at Linfield University’s wine programs by visiting its website or contacting the Center for Wine Education directly.
