Detroit's Atwater Brewery is donating $50,000 to Michigan State University to create a scholarship program with the goal of diversifying the brewing industry in Michigan and across the country.
According to Molson Coors, which owns Atwater, the scholarship will be known as the Atwater Brewery Student Scholarship. It's funded by Molson Coors' Tenth & Blake Brewing Education Scholarship fund, which supports students who identify as Black, Latino, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander or LGBTQ+ looking to get degrees in the brewing industry.
Students who apply must be enrolled in the beverage science and technology minor with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
“Diversifying the craft beer industry is an integral part of our mission and values,” said Katy McBrady, president of Atwater Brewery. “Providing financial support and career opportunities to the next generation of diverse craft brewers is an essential component to creating a more inclusive industry.”
“We are immensely grateful to Molson Coors for providing our students with the opportunity to advance their knowledge of the craft beer industry with an internship at Atwater Brewery,” said Leslie Bourquin, Ph.D., professor and chair of the MSU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. “The Atwater Brewery Student Scholarship fund will help MSU provide our diverse students with life-changing career opportunities, which further reinforces our mission to promote inclusion on our campus.”
This is the latest program from Detroit breweries with the goal of increasing diversity in the beer industry.
Earlier this year, we reported on Eastern Michigan and Nain Rouge Brewery teaming up to offer a low-cost course to study the science behind brewing, teach skills to work in the field and more.
Brew Detroit also has a $1,500 scholarship with Fermenta to help get women involved in the brewing industry.
