SB County Vitners Fund Scholarships For Enology Students

“In looking toward the future of our local winemaking industry we have decided to expand our existing scholarship fund to include Allan Hancock College. Starting this year, we will fund two $2500 scholarships annually, which is about the amount needed to cover tuition, fees, and textbooks for each student for one year,” says Frank Ostini, president of the Foundation.

The Santa Barbara Vintners’ Foundation is the charitable umbrella under which the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association conducts its philanthropic work. Proceeds from the silent auctions at April’s Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival and October’s Celebration of Harvest benefit a number of community organizations as well as fund the Foundation’s scholarship program. The scholarship program has been in place since 1986 with awards going to qualifying Santa Barbara County graduating high school seniors planning careers in agriculture. Starting this year, $5,000 will be allocated to the Allan Hancock College scholarship program in addition to awards given to qualifying high school seniors.

The Allan Hancock College Enology and Viticulture program, which started in 1996 as a course of study within the Agribusiness Department, offers Associate of Science Degree programs in Enology/Viticulture, Wine Marketing and Sales, and Viticulture. “Over the years, graduates of these programs have become the workforce of our winegrowing and winemaking community and as an industry we feel it is important to contribute to this outstanding community based program,” continues Mr. Ostini.

For more information on the Santa Barbara Vintners’ Foundation, go to www.sbcountywines.com For more information on the Allan Hancock scholarship awards presentation, go to http://www.hancockcollege.edu/public_affairs/announcements/2013May13ScholarshipAnnouncement.php