December 11, 2008
Program that teaches students about wine service named after Kavanaugh
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A program that teaches university students the finer points of wine knowledge and service has been named in honor of the recently deceased director of the Purdue Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The Dr. Raphael Kavanaugh Sommelier University Program, extended to senior students at hospitality and tourism schools across the country, is supported by the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation and taught by Master Sommeliers, the country's foremost wine experts.The course teaches students about the major wine regions of the world, wine production and wine service, and includes a blind tasting of 24 wines.
Fred Dame, Master Sommelier and president of the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation, said the program was named for Kavanaugh because the first college course was held at Purdue, and it was Kavanaugh's idea to start the program.
Now in its sixth year, the program has expanded to six colleges and has educated more than 600 students.
Kavanaugh, who died in October, was professor and head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism at Purdue for 11 years.Writer: Greg McClure, (765) 494-9394, gmcclure@purdue.edu
Sources: Doug Nelson, associate head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, (765) 496-2498, nelsond@purdue.edu
Fred Dame, (415) 260-5733, Fred.Dame@iconestateswine.com
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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