June 6, 2025 — Orange County Wine Society (OCWS) is proud to announce its scholarship program donations for the 2025-2026 academic year in the amount of $49,507. The donations will help to support enology and viticulture, wine business, and culinary arts programs in California. Since 1981, OCWS has donated over $946,000 in scholarships to eight (8) California institutions with wine-related educational programs. Next year, OCWS will celebrate its 50th Anniversary and is set to exceed the $1M mark in scholarship donations as part of its 50th Anniversary celebration. “OCWS strives to support the next generation of winemakers and grape growers with its long-standing scholarship program,” says current OCWS scholarship chair Dr. Damian Christian.
OCWS is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to support wine education. In addition to providing scholarship funds, OCWS has met its educational mission by hosting the OC Fair Commercial and Home Wine competitions for the last 49 years. OCWS volunteers run the Wine Courtyard during the OC Fair, which features award-winning California wines, wine seminars, and featured wineries for the public to experience. OCWS also provides educational programming for its members to learn about various aspects of wine tasting, wine evaluation, commercial wine production, and home winemaking. The organization includes over 1,000 wine enthusiast members who volunteer their time to support the organization’s educational mission throughout the year.
| 2025-2026 Scholarship Donation Breakdown | ||
| Institution | Program | 2025-2026Scholarship Donation |
| Allan Hancock College | Enology and Viticulture | $5,777 |
| Cal Poly Pomona | Enology and Viticulture | $5,725 |
| Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | Enology and Viticulture | $6,225 |
| Cal State University – Fresno | Enology and Viticulture | $5,725 |
| Cal State University – Sonoma | Wine Business | $5,755 |
| Napa Valley College | Enology and Viticulture | $5,725 |
| Orange Coast College | Culinary Arts | $5,825 |
| University of California – Davis | Enology and Viticulture | $8,750 |
About OCWS
Orange County Wine Society, Inc., founded in 1976, is a nonprofit educational corporation whose purpose is to promote the knowledge and understanding of wine. To this end, the Society functions to enhance the knowledge of enology (winemaking), viticulture and the appreciation of wine for its members and the general public. For the last 49 years, the Society has served as the co-sponsor and nonprofit partner for the OC Fair’s Commercial Wine Competition and Home Wine Competition. During the Fair, the Orange County Wine Society proudly features the award-winning wines for tasting to the public at the Wine Courtyard.
Learn more at ocws.org.
