New Partnership Promotes Diversity in Craft Brewing Industry

“It’s one small step in creating a more diverse industry, which will only make us all better.”

The Coronado Brewing Company has partnered with San Diego State University Global Campus to create an award to promote diversity and inclusion within the craft brewing industry.

The 25-year-old brewery — considered one of the most venerable operations in San Diego’s $1 billion craft brewing industry — has pledged $32,810 to support SDSU Global Campus’ Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer program. 

Split evenly over five years, the award will fully cover the tuition for one student each year from an ethnic minority or a group historically underrepresented in the craft brewing industry. Coronado Brewing will also offer the awardee an internship with the company. 

Gifts of $6,562 per year will be awarded every December between this year and 2025.

Coronado Brewing CEO James Murray said the company’s senior leadership had been looking for ways to expand its efforts to promote inclusion and diversity within its ranks. When SDSU approached them with the idea of a partnership, the company jumped at the opportunity, Murray said. 

“We had been having conversations with our employees evaluating where we had room for improvement, and we heard from them that one of the areas we could improve was in that of diversity,” Murray said. “I believe we’re a diverse company, but we weren’t crushing it. When SDSU reached out, we saw it as a great opportunity and we told them absolutely we were in, no questions asked.

“It’s one small step in creating a more diverse industry, which will only make us all better,” Murray said. 

Global Campus officials said the new diversity award is in line with their mission of expanding access to SDSU’s programs to learners around the world.

“SDSU Global Campus empowers all individuals to learn and contribute to San Diego’s workforce and industry,” said Radhika Seshan, dean of SDSU Global Campus. “We are excited and grateful for our partnership with Coronado Brewing, since it reflects our shared values of diversity and inclusion. It also presents an opportunity to expand access to SDSU Global Campus programs in this important industry for San Diego, connecting our passionate faculty, and affording more opportunities for our students in these programs.”

Craft brewing is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of San Diego’s economy, at nearly $1.2 billion in economic output in 2018. Coronado Brewing is one of more than 150 breweries in San Diego, widely known as the “Capital of Craft.”

Launched in the fall of 2013 in response to the explosive growth of the craft beer industry, SDSU’s Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer provides hands-on training for those looking to enter or already working in the brewing industry on the business side of operations.

SDSU officials said they were looking for ways to add diversity to the program when they approached Coronado Brewing about a potential partnership.

The agreement between Coronado Brewing Company and The Campanile Foundation, SDSU’s 501(c)(3) auxiliary, establishes the fund for five years, but Murray said that Coronado Brewing is committed for the long haul and will adjust the award amount to ensure the awardees will have zero financial need.  

“We want to be long-term partners,” Murray said. “If the program expands or the award isn’t enough, we will be making sure that the person enjoys their time and doesn’t lose sleep over money. We want them to feel fulfilled when they come out of it.

“Our goal is to continue this well beyond the five years and make this an extremely long partnership,” Murray said. 

An internship component in the partnership will  allow  awardees to get hands-on experience in the arm of the industry they will pursue. 

“The internship isn’t just for people who are going to make beer, because there are so many different avenues from which to choose,” Murray said. “There’s the business piece, there’s sales and marketing, there’s operations and of course there is brewmaking.”

Applications for the award will be accepted starting Sept. 1, with a recipient announced in December to begin the program in January 2022. Those interested in applying for the Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer Certificate program award should visit here to apply.