Ten MW students share special IWSC Foundation scholarship
IMW supporter IWSC Foundation has awarded 10 MW students with a special scholarship due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ten students from stage two of the MW study programme share a portion of £23,500.
IWSC Foundation made the fund available to current stage two and three MW students experiencing significant financial hardship.
The purpose of the scholarship is to support students who may have struggled to complete their studies due to lack of funds – job loss or a reduction in earnings, for example – given the global pandemic.
The Foundation assessed the applications on a case-by-case basis, which asked students to give details of their situation and how much money they would like to receive.
Christelle Guibert, CEO of the IWSC said, “The IWSC Foundation was created to support education within our industry. The global pandemic has made it even more challenging for ambitious students to reach their goals. We are delighted to have been able to make a special contribution and support the IMW and students.”
Sarah Harrison, head of study programme and development at the IMW said, “In a year full of challenges for the wine industry, this fund has provided students with the chance to continue their studies when otherwise they could not have done. We are immensely grateful to IWSC Foundation for their generous support of our students.”
A further two scholarships will be awarded to MW students by IWSC Foundation later in the year. Five scholarships of £5,000 will be available for new stage one students, plus another five scholarships of £5,000 for stage two students – a total fund of £50,000.
The Foundation will award the scholarships to students who would find it most challenging to cover the financial costs of studying, travelling to wine regions, sourcing wine, or experiencing financial hardship.
Due to the sensitive nature of this scholarship, the IMW will not name the students who received a share of the fund.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Belinda Eaton
Marketing and Communications Manager
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0)207 383 9136
beaton@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 uphold the highest standards of commercial conduct within the industry. Today, there are 414 Masters of Wine working in 31 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, viticulturalists, academics, educators and more. There are 349 students from 40 countries in the 2022-23 MW study programme. The IMW works with 37 supporters and four research and industry associates, who help promote the IMW’s mission. The four principal supporters are Austrian Wine, AXA Millésimes, Champagne Bollinger and Constellation Brands.