New Belgium Brewing and CEO Kim Jordan will donate $1 million to Colorado State University that will update and renovate facilities housing the university’s Fermentation Science and Technology program. Jordan will personally give $500,000 to the project and the remaining $500,000 will be allocated over five years through New Belgium’s philanthropy program. The gifts will be used to build a new fermentation science laboratory, significantly strengthening the long-standing relationship between CSU and New Belgium.
“We’ve had a great relationship with the university over the years and it’s personally meaningful to me to be able to give something back,†said Jordan. “Craft brewing has afforded opportunity to more than 100,000 people working in our industry and it’s important to support the next generation of brewers who will take us into the future.â€
CSU has provided a Brewing Science and Technology course since 2005 and formally launched the Fermentation Science and Technology undergraduate degree program in August 2013. There are 76 students currently enrolled in the major. The renovated space will be named the New Belgium Fermentation Science and Technology Laboratory and will house analytical, brewing, kitchen, and sensory room space. It is slated for completion in August 2015.