Virginia Golfer July / August 2023 | Page 15

“ The excellence of our applicant pool seems to increase each year , making the Foundation ’ s work very difficult while ultimately rewarding ,” VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation President Joan Gardner said .

Six students earned named scholarship awards in 2023 :

1 . Paul Russell Lexington / Asheville School Russell earned the $ 10,000 C . Dan Keffer Award . He ranked at the top of his highschool class and will attend Washington & Lee University .

2 . Amber Mackiewicz Virginia Beach / Bayside HS A familiar name to those who follow high-level junior golf in Virginia , Mackiewicz earned the $ 10,000 Spencer-Wilkinson Award . She ’ ll continue her competitive golf career this upcoming season at James Madison University .

3 . Logan McNabb Ashburn / Woodberry Forest School McNabb received the $ 7,500 David A . King Award . He sports a 4.4 GPA and will attend Princeton University .

4 . Jonathan McEwen Portsmouth / Churchland HS An accomplished junior who was captain of his high school team , McEwen earned the $ 7,500 Richard Smith Award . The class valedictorian at Churchland , McEwen will continue his golf career at Washington & Lee University .

5 . Justin Babilino Yorktown / York HS The captain of the York golf team , Babilino earned the $ 7,500 Red Speigle Award and will attend Purdue University .

6 . Caroline Gilreath Roanoke / Patrick Henry HS Gilreath was the winner of the first Mike Wise Award , named for the late Roanoke Valley philanthropist and past VSGA board member . Gilreath earned a $ 7,500 award and will continue her golf career at Radford University .

By The Numbers

Funds distributed by the VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation since its founding in 1983

Grants distributed in 2023 , the largest ever for a single year

Grants distributed to the C . Dan Keffer and Spencer-Wilkinson Award winners , matching the largest awards given by the Foundation

Students who have earned Foundation awards

Turfgrass Research Awards

Shannon Bradley , Navdeep Godara , John Peppers , Travis Roberson

Additional Scholarship Recipients

* -undergrad turfgrass research award

Member Clubs

Scholarship recipients in 2023 , including 33 high-school seniors

2023 award winners who will play for their respective college ’ s golf team

Undergrad turfgrass research award allocated , the first time the Foundation has given an award to a high-school student with interest in turfgrass research

Name Hometown High School College Choice

vsga . org J ULY / A UGUST 2023 | V IRGINIA G OLFER

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