NC Center for Viticulture Breaking Ground at Surry Community College

DOBSON, N.C., May 5 (GrapeVineTrail) -- Hundreds of persons gathered at Surry Community College in Dobson, NC on Friday, May 1, 2009 for the official groundbreaking for the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology, named for the family of Charlie and Ed Shelton, owners of Shelton Vineyards. The Center will serve the grape and wine industry, not only in North Carolina, but the entire Southeast providing workforce training and industry support. Speakers for the event included NC Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton, US Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, Dr. Linwood Powell, Vice-Chair, NC State Board of Community Colleges and Mrs. Amy Helton, President, NC Winegrowers Association. Local dignitaries provided remarks highlighting the growth and economic impact of the NC wine industry. North Carolina currently has 80 wineries and 400 vineyards. According to the NC Grape and Wine Council, the industry contributes $813 million annually to the state's economy and provides 5,700 jobs.

The Center is a $5 million complex which is funded through NC General Assembly appropriations, NC Community College System grants, NC State bonds, and private donations. Surry Community College began offering courses in viticulture in 1999 and currently offers a two-year degree in Viticulture and Enology. To-date, $3.2 million in grants and private contributions have been leveraged for student centered demonstration projects, technical training, and services targeting improved and expanded vineyard and winery operations. The college has hosted seminars featuring experts from across the nation and world who have presented topics at the forefront of grape and wine production. Students receive practical experience in a five acre vineyard and bonded winery on the college campus. The student produced wine, Surry Cellars - 2007 Red Dirt Rose, recently won a double-gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and a silver medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

The Center will feature a teaching laboratory, state-of-the-art commercially bonded winery, special events hall, classrooms for a variety of curriculum and continuing education courses, resource library/conference room, instructor offices, and climate controlled wine storage. The 4,000 sq. ft. special events hall will enable the college to sponsor and host seminars, conventions and conferences. The Center will position Surry Community College to better partner with community colleges and universities across the Southeast to meet the needs of this diverse industry. Surry Community College is located in the heart of the Yadkin Valley AVA, North Carolina's first federally designated wine region.

For more information, contact Greg Smith, 336-386-3331, smithg@surry.edu or visit www.surry.edu for event photos under "latest headlines" on the homepage.

About Surry Community College

Surry Community College was founded in 1964 and is located in Dobson, North Carolina. As one of the state's 58 community colleges, it serves Surry and Yadkin counties. Currently, Surry offers twenty-seven degree programs, sixteen diploma programs, and twenty-one certificate programs; with hundreds of continuing education courses and seminars. The college, under the direction of President, Dr. Deborah Friedman, has a mission to promote personal growth and community development through excellence in teaching, learning, and service.

SOURCE Surry Community College