A business fraternity at the UA will mix business with pleasure when it travels south of Tucson this weekend for a wine tasting trip.
The trip will teach members about the importance of wine etiquette in the business world, and introduce them to its surprising presence in Southern Arizona, said Kristen Senseman, the vice president of professional activities for Delta Sigma Pi.
Delta Sigma Pi, the professional business fraternity, is always trying new activities to enrich its members in the many different aspects of the business world, Senseman said.
"I am crazy about wine," Senseman said. "Every semester we do site visits, and I am very excited about this one."
Senseman, who organized the trip, and 40 other Delta Sigma Pi members will travel 42 miles south of Tucson to Sonoita to visit two wine vineyards for tours and wine tasting. Their bus will leave at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and will return at 5:30 p.m. the same day.
The two wine vineyards the fraternity will visit are Callaghan Vineyards and Sonoita Vineyards.
Senseman, whose friends call her the "wine guru," said many aspects of the business world involve wine, so she thinks the trip will benefit the students who are going.
"Basically with job interviews and in the business world, you go out to dinner," Senseman said. "Since wine is an up-and-coming industry when you go out to dinner, it is important you know what to do, like don't smell the cork."
Senseman, who works at Plaza Liquors, has always had a strong interest in wines, and is anxious to help pass this knowledge to her fellow members of Delta Sigma Pi.
Justin Cranmer, district director and alumnus of Delta Sigma Pi, will join Senseman and the other fraternity members on the trip.
"I think this trip is great," Cranmer said. "When you go to school, you can only learn so much in class. Visiting businesses helps you get the real part of the experience."
Cranmer said a trip like this is beneficial to students because it can open doors to different areas of the business world people might not have considered before, such as the wine industry.
"College students want to learn, but also want to have fun," Cranmer said. "Part of college is learning about yourself."
Cranmer said he does not know much about wine but is looking forward to learning more this weekend. He said in business situations it is always important to know what you are talking about, whether it is about wine or anything else.
Cranmer has been involved in several other site trips Delta Sigma Pi has taken, such as trips to Casino Del Sol and Nimbus Brewery in Tucson.
Cranmer said the business fraternity has meetings with guest speakers from all over the business world to help the students learn as much as they can. He said this weekend's trip will help give them more exposure to how businesses are run.
Jonathan Dahl, an undeclared sophomore, is a member of Delta Sigma Pi and is looking forward to learning something new this weekend.
Dahl is new to the fraternity this year, so this will be his first trip with the group.
Although Dahl is not yet 21 and will not be participating in the wine tasting, he said he looks forward to learning more about wine so it can help him in business in the future.
"This is a great way for the brothers to interact off campus," Dahl said. "I think this is a great event to get involved in."
Dahl, who has not decided what type of business he is interested in going into, feels this trip will be a great way to introduce him to a different type of business and how it is run.
"This will provide great networking, give us good feedback and open up the fraternity to different experiences," Dahl said.