News Release 08-002-D

Wine institute at UCC receives $50,000 from Cow Creeks

	News Release 08-002-D	For more information:
	Release date: 7/01/08	Bentley Gilbert
	For immediate release	(541) 440-7747
	http://www.umpqua.edu/ 

Winchester— The Southern Oregon Wine Institute at Umpqua Community College learned June 30 that it received a grant of $50,000 from the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

With two other grants – one of $200,000 from the Douglas County Industrial Council, and one of $93,000 from the State of Oregon – funding for the first two years of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute is now complete. “Once again the Cow Creeks have demonstrated their concern for the greater community by supporting efforts to develop jobs in Douglas County,” said Umpqua Community College President Blaine Nisson.

Of the $200,000 grant from Douglas County, Nisson said, “This grant is particularly important because it demonstrates that our viticulture and enology program is a significant economic development opportunity for our region and well as a new academic program for our students.” Recently, the College also announced the appointment of Christopher Lake of Oklahoma as the first director of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute at UCC. He will start work on Monday, July 21.

“The Southern Oregon Wine Institute is poised to become a valuable partner to the grape and wine industries in southern Oregon by providing both certificate and degree granting programs in viticulture and enology,” Lake said. “I look forward with great anticipation to developing these programs and serving the needs of both Umpqua Community College students and the grape and wine industries of southern Oregon. I am honored to be selected as the director of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute.”