Stage one MW student Evmorfia Kostaki awarded George T. Gamblin Memorial scholarship
The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) is pleased to announce that Master of Wine student Evmorfia Kostaki has been awarded the 2020 George T. Gamblin Memorial scholarship.
The George T. Gamblin Memorial scholarship was established in 2018 by Mary Margaret McCamic MW in honour of her late father, a retired doctor and former US Naval officer. It was founded with the hope of inspiring top wine students to relate wine to something beyond the textbook.
The scholarship is awarded annually to a Master of Wine student who demonstrates a particular appreciation for how wine taps into our creative senses. In years’ past, students have been asked to write essays based on inspired prompts or pair a wine with a photograph. This year, students were asked to reflect on their journey to become a Master of Wine after reading Greek author C.P. Cavafy’s poem, ‘Ithaka.’
Though there were many outstanding submissions, including several beautiful poem responses, stage one MW student Evmorfia Kostaki’s essay was chosen unanimously by Mary Margaret and her family.
Evmorfia will be awarded $500 USD to be used toward her Master of Wine studies. She grew up in Samos, Greece, where she currently lives and works, and holds a Master in Viticulture and Enology with studies in Montpellier, Bordeaux, Udine and Davis, as well as the WSET Diploma.
Mary Margaret said, “Evmorfia’s essay was both humble and insightful; her interpretation of the poem ‘Ithaka’ as it related to her own challenges and triumphs enhanced my own personal response to the poem. It also allowed her readers to truly connect with her journey in way that was both vulnerable, relatable, and intellectual. To combine all of those emotions so succinctly is a true gift.”
Upon learning that she had won the scholarship for her work, Evmorfia commented, “It is wonderful to receive this scholarship for such a personal piece. While I was writing, I had to come face to face with feelings I was pushing aside and understand who I am and where I am headed.”
Evmorfia’s winning piece can be found published on the George T. Gamblin Memorial scholarship website along with previous winning submissions, here: https://www.georgetgamblinmemorial.com/winning-submissions
ENDS
For more information contact:
Sarah Kirkpatrick
Marketing and Communications Manager
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0)207 383 9131
skirkpatrick@mastersofwine.org
Notes to Editors:
About the Institute of Masters of Wine
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 409 Masters of Wine working in 30 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, academics, educators and more. There were 341 students from over 40 countries in the 2019-2020 MW study programme.
About the George T. Gamblin Memorial scholarship
The George T. Gamblin Memorial scholarship was founded to foster higher learning in wine education. It is currently a family-funded scholarship, established by George’s daughter, Mary Margaret McCamic MW, who became a Master of Wine in 2016. Her love of learning and dedication to climbing the wine world’s version of Mount Everest was driven in large part by her father. In an effort to keep his memory alive, instill a passion for higher learning in the world of wine, and foster the same intellectual curiosity that her father passed onto her, Mary Margaret and her family created what an annual scholarship awarded to a second-year Master of Wine Student. The first scholarship was awarded in the fall of 2018.
www.georgetgamblinmemorial.com