GCSAA has awarded scholarships to 12 college students as part of the GCSAA Scholars Program administered by GCSAA's philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf.
Sean Elverd is the first place winner in the competition. He receives a $6,000 scholarship and is honored as the Mendenhall Award Winner. Elverd, a senior from Chattanooga, Tenn., is a turfgrass science and management major at the University of Tennessee.
The second place winner, Thomas Ham, receives a $5,000 award and is designated as the recipient of the Allan MacCurrach Award. The MacCurrach Award is funded by the PGA Tour. Ham is from Jenison, Mich., and is in his final year of a golf course turfgrass management certificate at Michigan State University.
Both Elverd and Ham also will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the 2010 GCSAA Education Conference (Feb. 8-12) and Golf Industry Show (Feb. 10-11) in San Diego.
Niels Dokkuma, an international student at Penn State University, was awarded a $2,500 Ambassador Award. The following students were awarded stipends ranging from $2,500 to $500:
* Joshua Lewis, Oregon State University, $2,500
* Steven Hutzell, University of Maryland, $2,500
* Scott Wasser, University of Arkansas, $2,000
* Glen Obear, University of Wisconsin, $2,000
* Diego Penapareja, Michigan State University, $1,500
* Brian Ervin, Colorado State University, $1,500
* Robert Pray, Michigan State University, $1,500
* Manuel Gonzalez, Michigan State University, $500
* Matt Carstens, Washington State University, $500
The GCSAA Scholars Program, funded by the Robert Trent Jones Endowment, was developed to recognize outstanding students planning careers in golf course management. Winners were selected to receive scholarship awards based on the final ranking in a competition judged by GCSAA's Scholarship Committee. Factors considered were academic achievement, potential to become a leading professional, employment history, extracurricular activities, and recommendations from a superintendent with whom the student has worked and a current academic advisor.
Applicants must be enrolled in a recognized undergraduate program in a major field related to golf/turf management and be a GCSAA member. Undergraduate applicants must have successfully completed at least 24 credit hours or the equivalent of one year of full-time study in an appropriate major.
