The STATE of Golf Volume 6 - 2019 | Page 8

102nd PGA Annual Meeting & Leadership Session

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Representing the Mississippi State PGA Golf Management Program at the 102nd PGA of America Annual Meeting was an absolute honor and an experience I will carry with me throughout my career. I had made it a goal early on in my time at Mississippi State to attend the Annual Meeting. It is a tremendous opportunity to learn about the governance of the PGA of America and meet students from other programs as well as PGA Professionals from around the country. Through this trip, I was not only able to grow and learn about my future as a PGA Professional, but also learn how I can improve our program before I graduate.

The 102nd PGA Annual Meeting was a monumental one. I am honored to have witnessed the first female elected as president of the PGA of America. Mrs. Suzy Whaley, PGA was elected as the 41st president of the PGA of America after serving four years as Secretary and Vice President. It was an emotional time for so many, and a sign of the growth of the PGA. It was inspiring to see how great the support for her was from leaders throughout the PGA of America and the golf community as a whole.

A valuable part of the PGA Golf Management Leadership Conference was the opportunity to learn from students from other universities and their experiences. Since one of the requirements of attending is having served a leadership role in your respective PGA Golf Management

By; Robbie Fields (Graduating Senior)

Student Association, we were able to discuss ideas to take with us from other students. We also were able to discuss our internship experiences and what we have learned, who we have met and what we are looking for next. We also had the opportunity to meet with the outgoing president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and honorary president in an open forum setting. That conversation gave me confidence that I have made the right decision to pursue a career in golf and that the Mississippi State PGA Golf Management Program is doing the right things to prepare us. One afternoon, we ate with PGA Past Presidents where we were able to learn even more from years of experience and success.