Five new applicants share IWSC Foundation scholarship
IMW supporter IWSC Foundation has awarded five scholarships worth £5,000 each to MW study programme applicants.
Ian Casterton, Atsuhide Hoshiyama, Christy Fuhrman, Mariko Iwai and Kelcie Jones share a portion of £25,000.
IWSC Foundation made the fund available to new stage one MW students in the programme, assessing the applications on a case-by-case basis.
Christelle Guibert, CEO of the IWSC said, “We are delighted to be providing some financial support to the five students that are about to start the MW journey. The candidates showed real passion and dedication, and hopefully, the fund will help them to achieve their goals.”
Sarah Harrison, head of study programme and development at the IMW said, “Congratulations to all five students who have been awarded this hard-earned scholarship, which will be a great support to you as you begin your journey on the MW study programme. In addition, we would like to say thank you to the IWSC Foundation for their generous support of these students.”
IWSC Foundation is a non-profit organisation and the charitable arm of the IWSC. Established in October 2018, it aims to advance the causes that are key to the growth and long-term health of the wine and spirit industry globally. The Foundation awards grants to individuals and organisations that support and advance their core objectives.
Ian Casterton is a Vancouver-based sommelier and wine consultant. His curiosity for the wine industry has led him to various agency roles across multiple Canadian provinces, and now the floor at Botanist Restaurant. Ian holds the WSET Diploma and CMS Level 2 award and hopes to build his love for wine writing, salesmanship, and education in the years to come.
Atsuhide Hoshiyama is a wine and Sake professional based in Hyogo. He is a certified WSET educator; however, he mainly works as a sommelier at his family-owned restaurant Yakiniku House Rengaya. Atsuhide was drafted into the Japan Sommelier Association (JSA) to be a member of its board of trustees.
After a stint at the iconic Charlie Trotter’s working with Chef Trotter, Christy Fuhrman has worked at many Chicago and New York restaurants. She holds her WSET Diploma and is an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and a Certified Sake Professional.
While studying law, Mariko Iwai started a part-time retail position at the Japanese wine company Enoteca. After completing her WSET Level 4 in London, she returned to Japan to develop her professional wine career. Over the past seven years Mariko has worked in retail, sales and purchasing.
Based in Vancouver, Kelcie Jones has worked on several sommelier teams around the city before her current role as wine director at Chambar Restaurant. A certified WSET educator, she also teaches and writes about the intersection of wine and literature.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Kara Tonitto
Marketing and Communications Officer
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0) 207 383 9139
ktonitto@mastersofwine.org
Notes to editors:
About the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW)
The IMW is a membership organisation with an exceptional international reputation. For almost 70 years, its members – the Masters of Wine (MWs) – have been at the forefront of leadership and expertise in the world of wine. The IMW’s mission is to promote excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. MWs prove their comprehensive understanding of wine by passing the MW exam, recognised worldwide for its rigour and exacting standards. In addition to passing the exam, members must sign the code of conduct before they are entitled to use the initials MW. This requires them to act with honesty and integrity, and use every opportunity to share their knowledge of wine with others. Today, there are 419 Masters of Wine working in 30 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, academics, educators and more. There are 376 students from 41 countries in the 2020-2021 MW study programme.