Sonoma, California – Vinventions USA – a North Carolina-based privately-owned industrial management company, and parent company of Vinventions USA, LLC—announced Thursday, December 10th, an annual gift to Sonoma State University’s Wine Industry Scholars Program. “In lieu of holiday gifts, we wanted to support our industry and selected Sonoma State University’s (SSU) Wine Industry Scholars Program which provides grants to winery and vineyard workers’ children attending Sonoma State University. 2020 has been an extraordinary and challenging year for everyone and especially for college students and their families,” said Don Huffman, Director of Sales and Wine Quality, Vinventions USA. The scholarship program is designed to provide first-generation children from families of vineyard and winery workers access and support services through higher education and is used to offset tuition and other educational expenses associated with attending SSU. In addition to financial support, the program includes a summer transition program, academic and career advising, cohort-based classes, co-curricular programming as part of the Rodney Strong Pathways Program and student work experience opportunities.
“For decades, we’ve recruited and supported first-generation college students, and learned that scholarships alone don’t always foster success towards a degree. The Wine Industry Scholars Program provides students the resources and support system to forge a path to success,” said Dr. Jean-Francois “JF” Coget, Dean of the School of Business and Economics.
About Sonoma State University: The Wine Industry Scholars Program is part of the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University and is a pioneering initiative providing grants to children and family members of vineyard and winery workers to offset tuition and other educational expenses associated with attending SSU. The Wine Business Institute is an education and research institute of the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University. SSU is the first institution of higher learning in the U.S. to offer seminars and degree programs focused on the business of wine.
About the Wine Business Institute: The Wine Business Institute (WBI) serves as an intellectual and industry hub for faculty, students, and the business community. Founded in 1996 as a partnership between the wine industry and the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, the WBI provides cutting-edge research that informs policy, industry best practices and program curriculum. The WBI offers online and in-person wine business degrees and industry certifications. For more information about our wine business research, or degree and certificate programs, please contact WBI at winebiz@sonoma.edu, or visit https://sbe.sonoma.edu/winebiz.
About Vinventions LLC: Vinventions USA is a comprehensive provider of wine closure solutions designed to support the diverse requirements of still and sparkling wine producers. Vinventions provides closure solutions that maximize performance, design and sustainability. Brands include Nomacorc PlantCorcs™, Vintop Screwcaps, SÜBR and Wine Quality Solutions which includes enological devices, equipment and services that improve the quality and consistency of wine through real-time quality control.
