FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    April 6,  2004        

 The Wine Society of Texas  Announces Scholarship Grant Program

The WST will provide up to $5,000 in assistance for the education, internship or field study, and appreciation of wine  in Texas. 

The Wine Society of Texas (WST), a 501c3 non-profit educational organization,  is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for its annual Scholarship Grant Program from qualify candidates all around the State of Texas.  In order to apply for the grant, individuals must be: (a) attending institutions around the State of Texas studying viticulture and oenology, or (b) pursuing winery internships in Texas, or (c) involved with Texas winemaking or field studies.  Grants will be given in the amount totaling up to $5,000 by the WST to promote the wine education focusing on improving grape growing and wine making in the State of Texas .  The scholarship program is consistent with the founding idea of WST and its continued mission to enhance the appreciation of wines, foster the knowledge of oenology and viticulture, support charitable activities, promote winemaking, and to educate wine tasters throughout the State.

According to Mr. Doug Scheiding , Scholarship Committee Chairman and WST Board Member, “The WST Scholarship program offers financial assistance for tuition, books, or for related travel expenses for individuals registered or in a program of study with a Texas university or college offering accredited courses in viticulture or oenology. Financial assistance can also be provided for winery internships in Texas or for Texas winemaker studies. The funding for the WST Scholarship program is provided from charitable donations, local WST Chapter fund raising events, and various WST statewide wine events such as the wine education seminars held as part of the annual Wine Symposium in conjunction with TWGGA in Austin (February, 2004), the 2004 WST Texas’ Best Wine Competition (March 2004), and the public ally held Taste-Off of the Top Ten Scoring wines from the Competition (April 2004 held in conjunction with the SAVEUR Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival)."  

Scheiding continued by saying, “Last year we provided grants totaling $2500 to Patrick Davies, Ashley Basinger, and Elaine Dickson attending Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Culinary Institute Alain & Marie LeNotre, respectively.  The awards helped to sponsor valuable research for the Texas wine industry including the relationship of growing techniques with production and grape quality, the evaluation of two different types of water irrigation on Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Texas, and the effectiveness of state and trade-organization based marketing.”

The WST will be accepting 2004 applications through 15 May 2004 .  All applications must be returned by this date, fully completed, 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 single or multiple awards depending on the rating of applications received. The WST scholarship award(s) will be announced on 1 July 2004 .

For more information about the scholarship program or the WST please visit our website at www.winesocietyoftexas.org.

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The Wine Society of Texas (www.winesocietyoftexas.org), headquartered in Houston , Texas , was started in 1996 and received its 501(c)3 non-profit status in 1999. It has about 400 members in eleven chapters 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 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. WST head quarters is located at 2318 Huldy Street, Houston, Texas 77019; tele: 713-523-4205.