ACS Scholarships

2024 Conference Scholarship

For the 2024 Annual American Cheese Society Conference, ACEF will grant multiple general scholarships along with a variety of named scholarships to our community.  There will be a mixture of full scholarships that cover registration, a travel stipend, and hotel cost, and also partial scholarships that cover the cost of registration to the ACS conference.

The ACS & ACEF Scholarship application is open now and will close on April 2nd, 2024.

APPLY HERE

Scholarships are open to open to cheesemakers, retailers, chefs, students, and any other cheese professionals.  ACS & ACEF encourages all members of the community to apply for scholarships! While we prioritize first-time attendees and first-time applicants, we thoroughly review every application that comes in and will award scholarships to as many people as we can.

Only one scholarship will be awarded per company, if multiple employees from a single company apply for a scholarship.  Any applicants that do not receive a scholarship will receive a discount code for the lowest cost of an American Cheese Society Conference registration.

In an effort to make the scholarship applications as open as possible, here is an example of what to expect when applications open:

  1. Name, title, company, address, email address, and phone number.
  2. Resumé or a description of your last 3 jobs
  3. A short essay section. This is your time to show us why a scholarship would be beneficial to you! We recommend 1-3 paragraphs that answers the following questions:
    • How does attending this year’s ACS Conference relate to your position?
    • Briefly explain what you are hoping to learn or gain professionally by attending this year’s conference.
    • How you feel your need for the scholarship is exemplified.
  4. Some of the optional, named scholarships have an extra step and their instructions are included in the application.

A Full Conference Scholarship includes:

  • a fully comped ACS conference registration
  • hotel accommodations at an ACS Conference hotel, check-in Wednesday, July 10th and check-out, Saturday July 13th
  • reimbursement up to $750 for a round-trip flight to attend Conference
  • a $200 stipend that can be used to offset any additional expenses including transportation, meals, parking, etc.
  • a 2025 ACS individual membership

Note: Depending on the number of submissions, the committee sometimes will offer partial scholarships that cover the cost of registration.

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Additional Scholarships

For more information on named scholarships, please read below or check out the American Cheese Education Foundation.

 

Certified in Cheese Scholarship

New to 2024, the Certified in Cheese Scholarship was started by the industry to improve access to the ACS certification exams. This fund gives a cheese professional with certification ambition a boost to reach their goals. Crowdfunding for and by cheese professionals across the industry has paved the way for one certification seeker to elevate their career in the world of cheese. The scholarship will cover costs for one person to attend the ACS conference, including conference registration fees, hotel, and travel, as well as the exam fee for either the ACS CCP™ exam or T.A.S.T.E. Test®.

Applicants must demonstrate a need for outside support in reaching their certification goals, including, but not limited to financial need, and have been accepted to take one of this year’s exams.

Isigny Sainte Mère Scholarship

New to 2024, the Isigny Sainte Mère Scholarship was created with the hopes of promoting education and opportunities in cheese. It is open to anyone interested in attending the ACS Annual Conference. The scholarship will cover costs for one person to attend the ACS conference, including conference registration fees, hotel, and travel.

The Peterson Company Scholarship for BIPOC Advancement

The American Cheese Education Foundation (ACEF) is continuing The Peterson Company Scholarship for BIPOC Advancement.

This annual scholarship will fund an Individual membership with ACS for the year, attending that year’s ACS Conference, including registration fees, hotel, and travel, and the fee to take that year’s Certified Cheese Professional® Exam.

Applicants must identify as a Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color and have been accepted to take that year’s ACS CCP™ exam.

Receiving a scholarship to the virtual conference the previous years does not preclude you from receiving a future scholarship to an in-person conference!

The Forever Cheese Scholarship for Cheesemongers

We are pleased to announce the Forever Cheese Scholarship for Cheesemongers which is open to cheesemongers who wish to attend the annual American Cheese Society conference.

The scholarship is open to all those employed as a cheesemonger at the time of application and whose employer must not be providing financial support for them to attend the conference.

The Forever Cheese Scholarship for Cheesemongers will cover costs for one person to attend the ACS conference, including registration fees, hotel, and travel. It will also cover the cost of the ACS CCP™ exam or T.A.S.T.E. Test®, if applicable.

To apply, applicants should submit a short letter explaining how they are making an impact in the cheese community in the optional field on the ACS & ACEF Scholarship application.

The Comté Association Conference Fund

The Comté Association Conference Fund is open to all applicants who have been accepted for the current year’s Certified Cheese Professional® (CCP) exam and seek to attend the American Cheese Society’s annual conference. Applicants must demonstrate financial need. The Fund covers travel expenses to the conference, registration, a 1-year ACS Membership, and taking the CCP Exam.

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].

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Other Scholarships

 

Murray’s Cheese Colin Ming CCP® Scholarship

Murray’s Cheese is proud to support a scholarship honoring our cherished colleague Colin Ming, who passed away in June 2019 as he was in the final stages of preparing to take the Certified Cheese Professional® (CCP) Exam. This scholarship will enable a qualified and deserving applicant who embodies Colin’s characteristic traits of inspirational leadership, kindness, warmth and professional poise to take the CCP Exam and attend the annual American Cheese Society Conference, with extensive training, and expenses covered by Murray’s Cheese. To learn more about the opportunity and apply for the scholarship, visit the Murray’s Cheese website.

The Bob Reese Scholarship for Aspiring Cheese Professionals

Vermont Creamery is proud to announce the launch of the Bob Reese Scholarship for Aspiring Cheese Professionals, in honor of our co-founder and pioneer in the artisan cheese industry, Bob Reese. This scholarship aims to support passionate individuals who aspire to enter the cheese business and contribute to the rich tapestry of artisanal cheesemaking.

As part of this initiative, Vermont Creamery will sponsor the recipient’s registration, travel, and lodging expenses to attend the 2024 American Cheese Society Annual Conference in Buffalo, New York, from July 10-13, 2024. This conference serves as a nexus for cheese enthusiasts, professionals, and industry leaders to come together, exchange knowledge, and celebrate the art and science of cheese making. Read more and apply here.