Joe Assell Leadership Award
Joe Assell, PGA, is a graduate of the Mississippi State PGA Golf Management program and has a successful career in the golf industry. He is the founder, President and CEO of GolfTEC, an innovative teaching and coaching company that has grown to over 200 instruction centers in the United States. GolfTEC is the second largest employer of PGA members and has taught 2.5 million golf lessons since its founding.
The Joe Assell Leadership Award is an annual award that bestows special recognition on a Mississippi State University PGA Golf Management student who personally displays outstanding integrity, character, and leadership. This individual is an unsung hero/heroine at their University, facility, and in their community, who serves to inspire, empower, and assist others, both in and out of the game of golf.
2018 Winner:
Mitchell McMurtry
Mitchell McMurtry (Sophomore), and Assistant Director, Zach Tate
"Receiving the Joe Assell Leadership Award was a very rewarding and humbling experience for me during the 2018-2019 year. I am honored to know others have recognized me as having a personality that encompasses integrity, character, and leadership. Through the PGA Golf Management Program, I was able to begin to connect pieces of the program into the community, both inside and outside of the game of golf. Individuals such as Mr. Joe Assell have created a pathway for students to have a successful academic career, but also take initiatives to better the community outside of one’s normal comfort zone. The Joe Assell Leadership Award is a humbling result of a year of obstacles, both physical and mental, leaving me with an optimistic outlook for what the future holds."