Napa Valley College broke ground on the Wine Spectator Wine
Education Center today, followed by a special ceremony attended by
students, faculty and community dignitaries.
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Napa Valley College broke ground on the
Wine Spectator Wine Education Center on Friday, May 17, in Napa,
Calif. The center is funded through a $10 million lead gift from
the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation. The groundbreaking also
kicked off a capital campaign to raise $4 million for the Wine and
Hospitality Training Center. Together, the two centers will create
the Wine Education Center Complex, which will more than double
classroom and training space with nearly 8,000 square feet of
modern learning space for the college’s Food and Wine career
Pathway. Photo Credit: TLCD Architecture
This is the first of two phases to build The Napa Valley College
Wine Education Complex, which will more than double classroom and
training space with 10,000 square feet of modern, efficient
learning space.
The complex will provide education and employment in winegrowing
and winemaking, as well as wine marketing and sales. The new
facilities will also support the College’s new Food and Wine
Pathway Program, providing complementary degree programs in
Viticulture Winery Technology (VWT) and Hospitality Culinary
Tourism Management (HCTM).
“Our new winery chef certificate will meet a growing trend in
the industry by combining wine and hospitality skills into one
complementary degree the industry is asking for aimed at the
direct-to-consumer market,” said Dr. Torence Powell, superintendent
and president of Napa Valley College “The complex will help meet
needs locally and beyond.”
In Napa County, for example, the hospitality industry will see
the highest growth in upcoming years, with a combined total of
2,272 new jobs by 2028.
Phase 1: The Wine Spectator Wine Education Center
Phase 1 of the complex, The Wine Spectator Wine Education
Center, is fully funded through a generous $10 million Wine
Spectator lead gift from the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation
with additional funding from the estate of college supporter Evelyn
Allen.
Complementing the college’s Napa Valley Vintners Teaching Winery
and vineyard, the center will include two flexible sensory
classrooms with seating for up to 80 students at a time, and an
upgrade to the existing Trefethen laboratory classroom with 28 lab
stations.
Offering degrees in Viticulture, Winemaking and Wine Marketing
and Sales, the Wine Spectator Wine Education Center will also offer
multiple industry certificates, including Winery Management and
Operations, Vineyard Management, Vineyard Pest Scout, Viticulture
Operations, Wine Laboratory Technician and more.
“The ample educational opportunities offered through the Wine
Spectator Wine Education Center will allow students to build
extensive wine related skills through an assortment of educational
programs and degrees, all designed to enhance their careers,"
stated Marvin R. Shanken, Editor and Publisher, Wine Spectator. “I
am thrilled to be able to support this vital need for both Napa
Valley College and the wine industry.”
Phase II: Wine and Hospitality Training Center
Today’s groundbreaking also officially kicked off a capital
campaign to raise $4 million for Phase II of the Wine Education
Center Complex, the Wine and Hospitality Training Center.
The center will be flexible space that will provide training in
all aspects of wine marketing, sales and hospitality, including
winery food programs, direct to consumer sales, wine club
membership, tasting room management, tourism and wine culinary
training.
It will include a demonstration kitchen to provide hands-on
training for students, a tasting bar and movable sit-down seating
to emulate a variety of hospitality and tasting room scenarios, and
an event space to host industry trainings, educational events,
guest lecturers and wine industry professionals.
“The Napa Valley College Wine and Hospitality Training Center
will provide the proper facility for our students to acquire vital
skills needed for today’s job competitive market,” said Michael
Baldacci, Napa Valley College Foundation board member and capital
campaign chair.
Background
Napa Valley College is in a unique position to provide expanded
wine education, with job placement rates from its Viticulture and
Winery Technology (VWT) program consistently exceeding 80%:
- The VWT program provides viticulture, winemaking and wine
marketing and sales programs, granting certificates and associate
of science degrees.
- The program contains more than 30 accredited classes with units
that transfer to national and international four-year degree
programs.
- The college’s Napa Valley Vintners Teaching Winery is the first
bonded winery in the California community college system.
- Napa Valley College is one of the few community colleges in
California that offers on-campus student housing, opening in August
2024.
For more information on Napa Valley College Foundation, the Wine
Spectator Wine Education Center and the Wine and Hospitality
Training Center, please visit
http://napavalley.edu/about/napa-valley-college-foundation.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240517040419/en/
Fuller & Sander Communications Tom Fuller,
tom@fullerandsander.com, 707-486-8968 Monty Sander,
monty@fullerandsander.com, 707-480-8635
Napa Valley College Rodd Aubrey, rodd.aubrey@napavalley.edu