Celebrating the Caddie Scholarship Foundation at the Annual Banquet
KENILWORTH, N.J. - On Wednesday, June 21, 2023, over 180 caddie scholars and their family members joined with members of the NJSGA Board of Trustees for the annual Scholars’ Banquet held in the Grand Ballroom at NJSGA headquarters at Galloping Hill Golf Club. The Banquet is a celebration that recognizes the outstanding academic achievements of the Caddie Scholars and their remarkable contributions to the game of golf.
This year the Caddie Scholarship Foundation will award scholarships to 153 NJSGA and NJSGA/Evans Scholars in excess of $800,000. These young men and women will study at college campuses from Piscataway to San Diego, pursuing a wide array of academic majors from aeronautical engineering to business management to marine biology.
The 2023-2024 Caddie Scholars are truly a remarkable group of young men and women who have committed themselves to excellence in the classroom and on the golf course. The freshman class proudly boasts a 3.7 GPA, with nearly one-third of the 33 freshman scholars earning a perfect 4.0 GPA during their high school careers. Those scholars currently enrolled in college carry an average GPA of 3.37.
The Foundation is proud to continue its partnership with the Evans Scholars Foundation and is excited to announce that there will be 20 NJSGA/Evans Scholars attending such prestigious universities such as Indiana, Ohio State, Miami University of Ohio, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Rutgers. Since 2021 the Caddie Scholarship Foundation and the Evans Scholars Foundation have collaborated to raise funds to co-sponsor NJSGA/Evans Scholars and to provide those scholars attending Rutgers University with a Scholar House on campus. Additionally, the two foundations continue to successfully collaborate to advance caddie programs at clubs throughout New Jersey and to establish partnerships with schools, youth organizations and other organizations to identify academically strong students from under-resourced backgrounds to become caddies. The Caddie Scholarship Foundation has greatly enjoyed its relationship with the Evans Scholars Foundation and looks forward to many more years of collaborative partnership to “keep the caddie in golf.”
Sheila Menendez, the Foundation’s Director of Education, extolled the scholars’ academic accomplishments and praised them for their dedicated commitment to their studies, while also contributing to the storied history of the game of golf.
Brian Hunt, Chairman of the Caddie Scholarship Foundation, recognized the generous support received from over 60 clubs and more than 4,200 individuals in addition to foundations and corporations. In a special way, Mr. Hunt recognized the efforts of the NJSGA Board of Trustees and the Caddie Scholarship Foundation’s Trustees, as well as the contributions of the Foundation’s Directors of Education, Sheila and Mike Menendez, and Director of Development, Jeff Knapp. The Foundation is truly indebted to the long-standing, generous support of the Mary Reinhart Stackhouse Foundation, which has provided over $1.3 million dollars in scholarships to over 150 caddies since 2004. In concluding his remarks, Mr. Hunt shared, “If you want to touch the past, touch a rock. If you want to touch the present, touch a flower. If you want to touch the future, touch a life. Please remember to give back and pay it forward so one day, when you are all successful, you will be able to touch someone’s life in the way someone touched yours.”
Jeff Knapp, the Foundation’s Director of Development, described the evening as “a celebration of the remarkable academic accomplishments of the 153 NJSGA and NJSGA/Evans Scholars and their dedicated and steadfast commitment and service to the game of golf, which have made them worthy of the distinction Caddie Scholar.” Addressing the guests that evening, Knapp said, “Not only do these young men and women make their parents and families proud, but they make the membership at the clubs where they caddie extremely proud as they continue one of the oldest traditions of the game of golf and join an association of scholars that proudly boasts a membership of over 3,300 in its 76-year history.”
Laura Benevento, a Foundation Trustee and benefactor, commended the scholars for all that they have achieved and encouraged them to keep striving to fulfill their dreams. She also told them to get involved with and support a cause or an organization that matters to and is important them because the world need people who can exact positive change. “Giving back and paying it forward is not only transformative; it is also so very rewarding because it enables you to be a part of something much larger than yourself,” said Benevento.
Former Caddie Scholar and long-time benefactor, Peter Kuntz, spoke about his days as a caddie at Spring Lake and how the relationships he formed with members and his fellow caddies have served him well in his professional career and personal life. He encouraged the current scholars to give back and to take full advantage of all the opportunities that caddying has to offer. “Being a Caddie Scholar carries a significant responsibility, one that does not end at the conclusion of a loop or when the bib is hung up for the last time. It is a lifetime responsibility to ensure that the next generation of caddies has even greater access to education, mentoring, and networking than we did, which is why it’s so important to pay it forward with gifts of our time, talents, and treasure,” remarked Kuntz.
This year, two Caddie Scholars were invited to share their experiences as caddies and to express their gratitude to those in attendance.
Lillian Stuart, a Caddie Scholar from Colonia Country Club currently attending Kean University, credited her grandmother for encouraging her to become a caddie and thanked Colonia’s head golf professional, Kevin Maciorowski, for encouraging her to apply for a scholarship. Lillian is grateful for all the experiences she has had on the course and the connections she has made with Colonia’s members, who are always ready and willing to help her and encourage her to pursue her life’s ambitions.
Michael Romano, a Caddie Scholar from Knickerbocker Country Club, who attends Marywood University, recalled that when he first became a caddie, his knowledge of golf was very limited. He thanked his parents, who sacrificed to get him to Knickerbocker early in the morning and pick him up late at night before he could drive. He also thanked Knickerbocker’s head golf professional, Bill Hook, and Caddie Manager, Peter Jordan for helping him to become the caddie and person he is today. Romano shared, “Over the years I began to value hard work and dedication and developed memorable bonds with my fellow caddies as we shared experiences and learned from each other. As a veteran caddie, I have taken up the mantle and enjoy teaching new caddies the ropes. It is rewarding to share what I have learned from over 100 loops with the next generation of caddies.”
NJSGA Executive Director, Kevin Purcell, congratulated the scholars and thanked them for their contributions to the game. Mr. Purcell also thanked and commended the scholars’ parents for sharing their sons and daughters with the game of golf and for allowing them to be a part of golf’s centuries-long tradition.
The scholars received certificates, challenge coins, pins, and hats to commemorate their achievements and to distinguish themselves as Caddie Scholars when they are out on the course.
We wish the scholars many great loops this summer and much success when they return to their colleges and universities in the Fall.
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