Becoming an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional® is the highest certification a cheese professional can attain in the United States and Canada. Presently, there are nearly 900 CCPs® who have passed the exam and attained this level of recognition within the cheese industry.
Many of the hard working and passionate individuals who want to become CCPs® find the expense of taking the exam and/or attending the ACS Conference too prohibitive financially. While Whole Foods Markets, Kroger/Murray’s Cheese, DPI and the WMMB among others generously sponsor employees, most smaller, boutique cheese shops can’t budget the funds which can cost as much as $2000.00.
As many of you know, I started the Cheese Study Group on Facebook in 2015 to help educate those studying for the exam. Our membership has grown to more than 3500 members, many of whom have taken and passed the exam. In April we begin our study schedule for 2018 to again assist those sitting for the exam in 2017. The group is also open to anyone who wishes to increase their cheese IQ. This year we will also be offering Mentorships for those sitting for the exam who do not have a corporate study group to assist them. We have 20+ current ACS CCPs who have volunteered to serve as mentors. Details will be rolled out mid-March.
Last year, through the generosity of the cheese community, we raised enough funds for four scholarships: 2017 Scholarship Winners were Kelley Jewell ACS CCP, Tyler Frankenberg ACS CCP, Matt Bellingham ACS CCP and Hazel Woodie ACS CCP.
We are thrilled to announce that once again the Cheese Study Group Administrators are sponsoring a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to award scholarships to candidates sitting for the 2018 Certified Cheese Professional Exam and for existing CCPs® to attend the ACS Conference in Pittsburgh ‘Forged in Cheese” . Our fundraising campaign begins today, February 12, 2018 and runs through April 30, 2018, when winners will be announced. Donate here.
If you wish to donate, please go to our Go Fund Me page to help send worthy “cheese nerds” to the ACS CCP exam® and Conference. All donations of $100.00 or more will receive special recognition when winners are announced (unless you choose to remain anonymous).
As donations reach levels to fund each scholarship, this information will be posted in the various cheese groups on Facebook, including the Cheese Study Group, Enjoy Cheese, American Cheese Society, Cheese for Undergraduates, My Cheese Peeps, Cheesemakers United, Norcal Cheese Collective, etc.
While donations are not tax-deductible, I assure you that donating to this campaign will benefit it winners and contribute to the growth and health of the American Cheese Industry. Donate here.
For those who wish to apply for a scholarship, here are the official rules:
2018 Cheese Study Group ACS CCP® Scholarships for
ACS CCP®s and ACS CCP Exam® Candidates
Overview:
The Eleven Administrators of the Facebook Cheese Study Group are pleased to announce our intentions to raise funds via our GoFundMe.Com campaign to award scholarship(s) for Candidates sitting for the 2018 ACS CCP Exam® and ACS CCPs® to attend the American Cheese Society 2018 Conference Forged in Cheese. The winner(s) will receive scholarship(s) to help defray the costs of taking the exam and/or attending the conference.
To apply, applicants must fill out the entry form and answer a short essay question (see below). The essays will be judged anonymously on the passion and creativity by a panel of four Cheese Professional judges, who will select the winner(s) using a score from 1 to 100.
Our Distinguished Panel of Judges for 2018:
Stephanie Ciano, Vice President Purchasing and Sales at World’s Best Cheese and a member of the Internationale Guilde des Fromagers. Stephanie also serves on the Certification Committee at the American Cheese Society.
Craig Gile, ACS CCP and member of the Internationale Guilde des Fromagers. Craig has years of experience as a cheese grader and judge for international cheese competitions. He serves on the American Cheese Society’s Judging and Competition Committee. Craig is New Products Manager at Cabot Creamery.
Pat Ford, Co-Owner and Cheesemaker at Utah’s Beehive Cheese. Pat also serves on the Certification Committee at the American Cheese Society.
Rules and Notifications:
All scholarships awarded are dependent upon donations via our Go Fund Me Campaign. If donations do not meet goal, then partial or no scholarships will be awarded. The Cheese Study Group and its Administrators will not be held liable if no scholarships are awarded due to lack of adequate donations. Donate here. Everyone who donates $100.00 or more, will be recognized when winner(s) are announced (unless they choose to remain anonymous).
Scholarships anticipated to be awarded will be:
One scholarship level of up to $1900.00 for 2018 ACS CCP exam® candidate in Pittsburgh, which will take place on July 25, 2018. The Scholarship can only be used for exam fees, ACS conference attendance fee, and 2018 ACS membership (if not already a member). The award includes a stipend of $625 intended to defray some of the candidate’s transportation and lodging expense.
Another scholarship level of up to $1400.00 for a current, in good standing ACS CCP® to attend the 2018 ACS conference in Pittsburgh. The Scholarship can only be used for ACS conference attendance fee (which includes 2018 ACS membership, if not already a member). This award also includes a stipend of $625 intended to defray some of the attendee’s transportation and lodging expenses.
Eligibility:
- ACS CCP exam® candidate applicants must meet all ACS qualifications and be accepted by ACS to take the 2018 exam. ACS CCP® applicants must be in good-standing with the ACS.
- If scholarship applicants’ employers, associations and/or companies (such as Kroger/Murray’s, Whole Food Markets, ANCO, DPI, Gourmet Foods, WMMB, etc.) cover their expenses, then those applicants do not qualify for these scholarships. The purpose of these scholarships is to assist those who would have to pay their fees and expenses personally without assistance from their employers, companies and/or associations. (We may confirm with employers et al that they are not covering expenses).
- Administrators of the Cheese Study Group (which numbers 11 and the list is available on the Cheese Study Group Member’s page on Facebook) are not eligible to apply for these scholarships.
- Winner(s) must volunteer and work 1 four-hour shift at the 2018 ACS Conference and attend at least 1 seminar each day of the conference.
- Winner(s) will be encouraged to write an essay after the conference and/or exam about their experiences and these essays will be published on websites of Administrators (including on this website) and in the Cheese Study Group Page.
- Fill out entry form and answer the following question in 500 words or less (all essays must be original and written by applicant) Attach form and essay to the email entry and send to CSGCCPScholarships@gmail.com:
ACS CCP exam® candidates:
“Describe the significance of being a Certified Cheese Professional and its importance to the cheese industry in the US. List the ways the certification will benefit your position in the cheese community.”
ACS CCP®s:
“Describe the significance of attending the 2018 ACS Conference and its importance to the cheese industry in the US. List the ways the conference will benefit your position in the cheese community.”
Forms and essays (as word documents) must be submitted via email only by 5pm PT, April 15, 2018 to the following email address:
(If you need word doc of entry form, please email us and we’ll email to you.)
If scholarships are funded through fund-raising efforts, winners will be announced on April 30, 2018.
Winner(s) will be notified by email.
This scholarship effort is not affiliated with nor endorsed by the ACS nor Facebook.
Form:
2018 Cheese Study Group ACS CCP® Scholarships for
ACS CCP®s and ACS CCP Exam® Candidates Entry Form
Required Information:
| First Name:
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| Email Address:
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| Telephone:
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| Name of current employer/trade association: | |
| Address of current employment/trade association: | |
| For internal use only
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Our thanks again to the judges for donating their time to assist us. And to all our Cheese Friends, please donate here. Everyone who donates $100.00 or more, will be recognized when winner(s) are announced (unless they choose to remain anonymous).
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