Each year since 2021, SDSU Global Campus and Coronado Brewing Company have awarded free tuition and an internship with the local brewing company to students who can help increase diversity in the craft beer industry. The goal is to recognize those emerging craft beer professionals who are bringing fresh ideas and perspectives to the industry by helping them get started with a career in brewing.
This fall, three SDSU Global Campus students were granted the awards and these are their stories.
Marquis Palmer
Why did you apply for the diversity in craft beer scholarship through SDSU Global Campus and Coronado Brewing Company?
There are not a lot of African Americans in the craft beer industry, but I believe there is a calling and a place for African Americans to get into this industry. I want to reach out to other cultures and communities to get them into it, too.
What skills or experience are you hoping to gain by completing the certificate program?
I’m hoping to gain the ability to understand the beer types and styles. I want to be able to know what I’m talking about when someone is ordering food or a drink. I’m a big barbecue guy, so I want to know what pairs with that and with fish and chips and other dishes. I also hope to be a beer ambassador and talk with other beer institutions to host festivals and tastings, to help elevate craft beer so show that brewing is an art form.
Why do you think it’s important to have diversity in the craft beer industry?
Inclusion is really big in craft brewing right now and I want to head that up, to show people and know there’s a space for everyone. I believe we need more pioneers in craft brewing to represent us in the African American and continue to push the envelope on inclusion.
How will completing the certificate program and receiving the scholarship help you advance or launch your career?
It will help me become an all-around ambassador for craft beer and give me the confidence I need to understand the process of making beer. I also see it as a springboard to me being a part of meeting people where they are with a craft beer catering business in communities of color.
Olivia Reyes
Why did you apply for the diversity in craft beer scholarship through SDSU Global Campus and Coronado Brewing Company?
I have worked in corporate jobs for nearly two decades and currently in the middle of a career change. I have always had a passion for great drinks, whether it be craft beer or cocktails. It has been my dream to open up a bottle shop and tasting room, but did not know where to start. With high demands of my job, I never was able to put the attention into this dream. There was always another initiative or high priority that took precedence. It may sound silly, but I went back and forth on whether or not I should take the class and if I could afford the time and money given the career change I was embarking on. So, I applied for the scholarship with the thought that if I got the scholarship this was the universe telling me go pursue your dream! When I heard the news, I was so ecstatic to hear I got the scholarship!
What skills or experience are you hoping to gain by completing the certificate program?
I have a concept in mind, a name and general location. I have some business acumen, but not in this industry, not anywhere close. So, I am hoping to better understand the beer industry to ensure my dream is successful from financing, distribution, finding a network of beer enthusiasts and more importantly, understanding beer styles beyond my usual favorites. I don’t just want any bottle shop, I want a place where beer enthusiasts come to enjoy great beer and I want to be educated in all things beer. I have already found the history of beer so fascinating.
Why do you think it’s important to have diversity in the craft beer industry?
Diversity in any industry is very important. It’s not a matter of what you look like but how the different backgrounds of people can contribute to the most creative solutions. Beer specifically has the ability to bring a diverse group of people together over the love of beer. Encouraging diversity in the craft beer industry allows for different flavors to come through beer, catering to the wide variety of backgrounds, which ultimately can lead to new experiences and new friends. I am an introvert at heart but when I’m at a brewery and taste something particularly interesting, or not the norm, I am excited to have conversations with folks on the different tastes. I’ll even go as far as texting my family who isn’t local if I find something very interesting and the next question I usually get asked is, where can I find this.
How will completing the certificate program and receiving the scholarship help you advance or launch your career?
I am hoping that by completing the certificate program, I will move from enjoying beer to becoming knowledgeable in the art of craft beer where I can finally open up a bottle shop and tasting room with confidence that the experience customers receive will be like viewing art in a museum but tasting beer with all sensories.
Jess Sexton
Why did you apply for the diversity in craft beer scholarship through SDSU Global Campus and Coronado Brewing Company?
I found out about this scholarship through Jeff Motch at Blind Lady Ale House (BLAH) Brewing. As queer homebrewers, my friends and I had the chance to brew with BLAH for a special San Diego Pride collaboration to raise money for The Center, and Jeff brought this scholarship opportunity to my attention.
I applied for this scholarship because I’m ready to make a career transition into the beer industry. I’ve been homebrewing for the past seven years, and I’ve fallen in love with the process and the way beer brings people together. However, I’ve had a growing realization that there aren’t enough spaces where women, queer folks, and other underrepresented groups feel truly welcome in the beer world. I want to change that. My goal is to one day create a brewery that fosters inclusivity, where people from all backgrounds can come together to learn about beer, build community, and feel a genuine sense of belonging.
What skills or experience are you hoping to gain by completing the certificate program?
I’m excited by the variety of classes offered in this program, both classroom learning and hands-on experiences. I’m most interested in learning more about brewery management and back of house operations, like managing draft systems and understanding brewery design. I’m also excited to have an opportunity to create a refined business plan and gain a deeper understanding of brewery finances.
I have some experience in hospitality, but not in the brewing industry, so I’m really looking forward to the internship with Coronado Brewing after completing the program to put all the pieces together.
Why do you think it’s important to have diversity in the craft beer industry?
I think diversity is crucial in the craft beer industry because beer is a communal experience meant for everyone. However, not everyone has always felt welcome in this space. I believe diversity brings a sense of belonging. When people from different backgrounds see themselves represented, whether as employees or customers, it creates a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere. This makes the industry more reflective of the communities it serves. To me, a diverse craft beer world is capable of truly connecting with a broader audience, which I think is essential for the industry’s long-term growth and relevance.
How will completing the certificate program and receiving the scholarship help you advance or launch your career?
I’m so thankful to have received this scholarship, because it proves to me the commitment that SDSU and Coronado Brewing have to increasing diversity in the beer industry.
Completing this program will give me the knowledge I need to understand the business of craft beer, help me create connections to start working in the industry, and ultimately develop a viable business model which is intentional about supporting a diverse beer community.
I’m excited to learn from experts with decades of experience in the San Diego beer industry, and believe this program will help make my dream a reality.
