AGA Announces 2026 Scholarship Winner
Cole Winward is the recipient of 2026 AGA Gemological Scholarship.

Winward, who is currently working toward his GIA Graduate Gemologist diploma, was selected for his dedication to gemological education.
Growing up in Utah with a gemologist parent, Winward’s passion for gems, minerals, and geology began at an early age and inspired a desire for more knowledge.
Following a two-year mission in Guatemala, where he experienced active volcanoes and earthquakes firsthand, Winward went on to study geology at Brigham Young University and begin his gemological training at the Gemological Institute of America.
He is passionate about advancing the science of gemology through continued research, innovation, and discovery, AGA said.
Winward focuses on gemstone identification and analysis using advanced instruments, and he has also conducted research on sapphire origin determination.
AGA awards educational scholarships in the field of gemology to need and merit-based recipients around the globe.
For more information, or to view past recipients, visit the AGA website.
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