PORTLAND, Ore. – The evening of November 6th was a night to remember for seven Oregon State University (OSU) Fermentation Science students. Four walked away with checks for $10,000 while three others pocketed $15,000 – all in the name of Oregon beer icon and late founder of Rogue Ales, Jack Joyce. In its second year, the Jack Joyce Scholarships awarded a total $85,000, nearly tripling last year’s funds. The scholarships were created by Columbia Distributing and Rogue as a tribute to Joyce. Generous donations were made from many industry partners, including Hop Valley Brewing, the Beer Institute, Great Western Malting Co., Wyeast Laboratories, Inc. and Crux Fermentation Project.
“We’re honoring the legacy of my dad, while building the legacy of the next generation,” said Rogue’s President Brett Joyce. “We’re privileged to be involved in some small way with the financial contribution to the students’ education goals.”
The following OSU students were awarded based on content submitted through an application process as well as in-person interviews with executives from Rogue and Columbia Distributing:
$15,000 Scholarship Recipients
- Katie Clennan
- Jacob Watt
- Christina Hahn
$10,000 Scholarship Recipients
- Dalton Behrens
- Georgia Danielson
- Ryan Howe
- Scott Lafontaine
“The magnitude of the Jack Joyce Scholarships is unprecedented and represents a level of industry support for undergraduate students that can be found nowhere else but here in Oregon and at OSU,” said Tom Shellhammer, head of OSU’s Fermentation Science program. “Columbia Distributing, Rogue Ales and the contributing companies to this scholarship realize that the students leaving our program are making an impact in the brewing industry that is felt nationally. The Jack Joyce Scholarships not only recognize the potential of the industry’s future leaders but it inspires all of our students to reach for the highest level of achievement.”
“We had some unbelievable partners this year and want this scholarship fund to grow bigger and bigger every year,” said Mark Walen, president of Columbia Distributing’s Oregon business. “We want Oregon to be the fermentation innovation center of the universe.”
About The Jack Joyce Scholarship Award
The Jack Joyce Scholarship Award was created in 2014 by Columbia Distributing and Rogue Ales in honor of visionary Jack Joyce, for his legacy in the Oregon community and his founding of Rogue Brewery in 1988. Jack’s vision, creativity, and innovation led Rogue to take daring risks that has created one of the most successful breweries and distillers in the nation. Each year students enrolled in Oregon State University’s Fermentation Science program can apply for one of two available scholarships. For more information on the program, please visit http://oregonstate.edu/
About Rogue Ales
Rogue Ales & Spirits is an agri-fermenter founded in Oregon in 1988, as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won over 1,800 awards for taste and quality and is available in all 50 states and 50 countries. Since 2008, Rogue has remained committed to saving the terroir of Oregon hops and barley, one acre at a time, by growing its own. For more information on Rogue, please visit www.rogue.com.
About Columbia Distributing
Columbia Distributing is one of the nation’s finest beer, cider and non-alcoholic beverage distributors. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the company has distributed some of the best known brands in the beverage business since 1935. Today Columbia Distributing and its 2,500+ employees service over 20,000 retail customers covering more than 135,000 square miles in Oregon and Washington. The company’s success is based on the deep-rooted tradition of delivering quality products, timely service and a genuine concern for customers’ needs. This is achieved by providing ongoing, sustainable opportunities and growth for its employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders and communities. For more information on Columbia Distributing, please visit www.coldist.com.