World Tea Academy (WTA) – the leading online tea education and certification program from the organizers of the World Tea Expo Conference + Expo and World Tea News – is now accepting submissions for the 2021 Brian Keating Gratitude Scholarship. Applications are due no later than Sept. 30, 2021 (via email), and the winner will be announced around mid-November.
The scholarship recipient will receive free tuition in 2022 towards earning a WTA Certification, which will include seven WTA classes (cost of class kits and shipping is not included in the scholarship). World Tea Academy currently offers two levels of certification and five advanced certification paths. Details on the WTA certification programs can be found here.
WTA: Supporting Up-and-Coming Professionals on Their Tea Journey
The Brian Keating Gratitude Scholarship was established in 2019 in memory of tea visionary Brian Keating, who passed away in 2018. According to WTA, Keating was a generous mentor, consultant and strong voice for tea education in the specialty tea industry, and he served as an invaluable resource and strategic technical advisor to World Tea Academy. In his honor, one WTA scholarship is awarded each year to an up-and-coming tea professional.
The recent 2020 WTA scholarship was presented to Leslie Beatty, a native of Charlotte, N.C. Beatty is a chemical engineer, innovator, thought leader in the healthcare industry and mother of two children. She currently resides in Arizona, where she demonstrates her passion for women’s empowerment, African American youth leadership, and social justice through various channels of community involvement. By leveraging her leadership, life experiences and skills, Beatty also dedicates time to helping victims of domestic violence transform into thriving survivors, in addition to educating them about tea and the wellness benefits of tea.
On the tea front, Beatty is a re-emerging tea specialist and influencer who hosts tea parties and shares her passion for tea with youth. Prior to COVID-19, she created tea blends and held tastings for small groups who were interested in tea. And, as a Girl Scout leader, she held tea parties for girls of different ages to help them develop an appreciation for tea, enjoy the afternoon tea experience and learn etiquette.
On her experience as a World Tea Academy student this year, Beatty said, “Being immersed in World Tea Academy as a scholarship recipient has been a positive game changer for me. What would have taken me two-and-a-half years to complete due to resource constraints, I have been able to complete my selected classes in roughly one year.”
RELATED: To learn more about last year’s 2020 World Tea Academy Scholarship Recipient, Leslie Beatty, click here to view her story.
In 2019, the WTA scholarship recipient was Elsa Caretta, who works at Brooklyn, New York-based Bushwick Tea in sales and training. “I've loved studying with World Tea Academy,” shared Carette, “and I always recommend it highly to anyone who asks me about a tea training program. In my opinion, WTA is one of the best ways to educate yourself as a tea professional, so that you can then educate others.”
Submit Your WTA Scholarship Submission by Sept. 30, 2021
To be considered for the 2021 WTA Scholarship, send an email to [email protected] with “Brian Keating Gratitude Scholarship” in the subject line with answers to the following questions in the body of the email (World Tea Academy requests that you limit your answers to four to eight sentences for each question):
1. What is your current role or relationship to the tea industry?
2. What is your vision for your role or relationship to the tea industry?
3. How do you see earning a certification at World Tea Academy helping you achieve your vision?
4. What is your vision for how you will continue the tradition and "pay it forward"?
The deadline to submit applications for the scholarship is Sept. 30, 2021.
Since launching in 2013, World Tea Academy has enrolled more than 1,000 students, spanning 61 countries, 6 continents and 47 of the 50 United States, plus the District of Columbia.
‘A Wonderful Opportunity’
Beatty noted, “From access to key leaders in the industry and the treasure of information available to the hands on learning, I have gained more momentum in meeting my tea business goals because of World Tea Academy and the scholarship. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!”
To learn more about World Tea Academy and how to apply for the 2021 Brian Keating Gratitude Scholarship (deadline Sept. 30, 2021), visit WorldTeaAcademy.com. Questions? Email [email protected].