At just 17, WithCo Cocktails Chief Operating Officer Shaun McKinley ('10) found his professional calling while working amid the chaos, customers, and cuisine of a fine-dining restaurant. The constant problem-solving and endless learning opportunities intrigued him, and he couldn’t get enough of trying new foods, learning about wine and spirits, and aspiring to know what it means to run a business. Recognizing McKinley’s potential, his boss, who owned the restaurant, knew WSU is one of the top hospitality programs in the country and urged McKinley to look into it for his undergraduate degree. “I’m extremely grateful for the education I received at WSU and the professors who helped prepare me for a career in hospitality,” says McKinley, who has spent the last 12 years building a well-rounded career in the beverage industry.

If Walter Clore, a man largely known as the “Father of Washington wine” could see the educational offerings the Carson College of Business is bringing to a center that bears his name, he would undoubtedly raise a toast to progress. Last year, WSU Tri-Cities and the Port of Benton formed a partnership to implement wine and culinary education offerings at the Walter Clore Center in Prosser, Washington, adding to its continuing education and workforce development programs. “We are elated to offer programming that will not only educate individuals about the history of Washington state wine, but also provide sensory and other hands-on experiences that will allow individuals to do a deep dive into all that Washington wine has to offer,” says WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes.