MadTree Brewing funds scholarship to boost Cincinnati beer industry diversity

MadTree Brewing announced a $5,000 scholarship to Cincinnati State Technical & Community College’s Brewing Sciences program, starting in fall 2021 and available to apply to now. The scholarship seeks to bring more diversity to brewing and is available to demographics underrepresented in the industry, specifically women and people of color.

Nationwide, the craft brewing industry is a predominantly white, male workforce, with roughly 10% of non-brewing production staff comprised of people of color and 37% women. MadTree’s employee demographics closely follow the industry.

“We believe change comes through representation. We started with education because we wanted to be a part of systemic change. By starting at the root of an issue – like easing the financial barrier for education – we help make it easier to join the industry. And the more we diversify the brewing industry, the better we will make it,” says Rhiannon Hoeweler, Director of Strategic Impact at MadTree Brewing. “This scholarship is one way to invest in our beliefs and spark change.”

In addition to the student scholarship, MadTree is contributing a $5,000 donation to underwrite the sustainability program that is part of the school’s curriculum. The sustainability program at Cincinnati State covers solid waste reduction, water & wastewater treatment, wastewater management, sustainable design, benchmarking, and other related topics. 

“We thank MadTree for their thoughtfulness and generosity in helping students in Cincinnati State’s brewing program,” said Dr. Monica Posey, president of Cincinnati State. “Investing in our students has a great return for the workforce and our region.”

Cincinnati State and MadTree have built a strong relationship, with many Cincinnati State Brewing program alumni working at the brewery, including Brittany Frey, Production Manager at MadTree. Ms. Frey sits on the board of Cincinnati’s chapter of Pink Boots Society, alongside Carla Gesell-Streeter, Program Chair of Cincinnati State’s Brewing Sciences program. Pink Boots Society exists to assist, inspire, and encourage women beer professionals through education.

“We were part of the first class that went through the brewery program and it was very competitive,” said Brittany Frey, Production Manager at MadTree. “You always wanted to do your best. We had great instructors who had been in the industry for awhile and it felt like I was getting more than I was paying for. By the time I left the program, I felt confident that I had made a good step forward.”

Danielle Sickmiller, Cellar Lead at MadTree, was a classmate of Frey’s and MadTree’s first intern in 2018. She spent a summer with the brewery’s production team gaining hands-on experience. “The staff was super-supportive and I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” said Sickmiller,. “During my co-op, I felt like there were opportunities to grow here and really I wanted to work at MadTree after getting my degree from Cincinnati State.”