Located in Boston, Massachusetts and expanding to Washington, DC in 2025, The Urban Grape Wine Studies Award is designed to give you access to the entire wine industry via four, three month internships, in-depth wine education, and hands-on mentorship. Our program is not a quick fix. It takes 12 months of dedication and flexibility, but by the end of your time with us, you'll be part of a multi-billion dollar industry.
All interns are expected to complete, with passing grades, three levels of classwork at Boston University's Wine Studies Certification program. These classes meet once per week for a year, not including study sessions. Classes are held in person on the Boston University campus.
During the course of this program, our interns complete four 3-month long paid internships at The Urban Grape, MS Walker, Row 34, and Jackson Family Wines. During this year you will gain valuable hands-on experience in retail sales and management, restaurant hospitality and events, sales and distribution, wine production, and marketing - to name just a few!
The Jackson Family Wines internship is located in Sonoma, California. Participants in the program receive a $5,000 stipend for travel and lodging while in California.
Throughout your year in the program you will receive hands-on mentorship with both TJ and Hadley Douglas, as well as upper level management at each of your internships. This mentorship creates the foundation off of which industry connections and job networking opportunities can be made. The goal of the program, and your time with the mentors, is to jumpstart your career in wine!
Throughout his 20-plus year career, Urban Grape co-founder TJ Douglas was often the only, or one of few, people of color at his job, at industry conferences, and even in his own wine store. As the 10th anniversary of The Urban Grape approached, TJ and his wife and business partner, Hadley, knew that they wanted to create a program that would increase opportunities for professionals of color to advance in the wine industry. TJ succinctly stated, “I don’t want to be the only one in the room anymore.”
The Urban Grape Wine Studies Award for Students of Color was founded on June 22, 2020, using contributions from our customers in response to the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd.
After their successful completion of the program, Suhayl was hired as the Director of Customer Engagement at Trois Noix Winery in Napa, and Amanda was hired as the Communications Coordinator for O’Donnell Lane, based in Sonoma.
June and Victor graduated from the program in 2022. June completed a harvest internship at Talley Vineyards. Victor is pursuing a career in wine and cannabis events.
Allie and Lucy graduated in November 2023 and were our first interns to spend a full three months in Sonoma with Jackson Family Wines. Allie is pursuing Boston area beverage industry opportunities and Lucy hopes to join a winery real estate or hospitality team in California.
With a focus on education, Ralph is on a mission to uncork the stories of unique and underrepresented winemakers while he explores fascinating people behind the vibrant world of grapes. Stephan enjoys combining his natural sciences background in academia with his passion for food and drink, particularly how environmental factors impact the unique flavor profile of a given wine!
Bipashyana fell in love with wine while working at Dawa’s in Queens, and further realized her obsession at Comfort Kitchen in Dorchester. She hopes to become a sommelier, but also realizes this program may lead her to unexpected career paths within the industry.
