New Mexico Wine Creates Scholarship Fund for CNM Students Through Labor Day Weekend Festival Proceeds

August 4, 2023 – ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The New Mexico Wine & Grape Growers Association today announced the creation of a new scholarship program in partnership with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). The association will donate $1 from every ticket sold to the Albuquerque Harvest Wine Festival, which takes place over Labor Day Weekend, to CNM’s Beverage Production & Management program.

“CNM’s beverage program is one of the best in the U.S., said Christopher Goblet, Executive Director of New Mexico Wine and Grape Growers Association. “Now that we have a world class wine academy in Albuquerque, the industry is excited to sponsor the first class of future winemakers by paying their tuition. Whether the goal is working in the beverage industry or starting your own winery, we believe this program is the future of the industry and will pay dividends for years to come. We are investing in our future.”

The Harvest Wine Festival is a Labor Day tradition and is one of the largest wine festivals in the Southwest, with an average attendance of 10,000 food and wine enthusiasts. Attendees enjoy sampling the latest vintages from 20 New Mexico wineries while enjoying live music, lawn games, arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, and the ever popular grape stomp.

This newly developed scholarship program with CNM was inspired by the recent $12MM expansion to the Beverage Production & Management training facility. Already recognized as a premier brewing academy in the US with dozens of awards for student produced beers, CNM will now provide students the essential skills to produce quality wine, cider, and brandy using state of the art equipment.

“We’re beyond excited to partner with New Mexico Wine for our inaugural Wine Production Courses, ”said Victoria Martinez, Associate Dean of the Culinary, Beverage & Hospitality department. “These scholarships open the doors of opportunity for students to get the education and hands-on experience needed to be successful in the world of wine.”

CNM students can apply for this scholarship and a range of others at cnm.edu/depts/financial-aid/scholarships/. Through CNM’s comprehensive scholarship program, 84% of students graduate debt free.

New Mexico Wine & Grape Growers Association is a 501c6 non-profit trade association founded in 1991 to promote and protect the grape growers and winemakers of New Mexico. The association membership is comprised of 50+ family owned wineries located across the state. New Mexico is the oldest grape growing region in America, with the first vineyard established in 1629.

Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) is the largest community college in New Mexico, delivering innovative programs with affordable degrees and certificates. CNM’s nationally-recognized Beverage Production and Management program teaches hospitality law, guest services, food pairing, menu management, brewing equipment and maintenance, beer production, and more.