NJSGA Caddie Scholars Honored At Reception
The New Jersey State Golf Association’s Caddie Scholarship Foundation celebrated its 68thyear of service when it hosted its annual caddie scholars’ reception at its new facility at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth on Thursday, June 18.
With 51 caddies in attendance, plus members of their immediate families, a crowd of more than 150 gathered including current and former caddie scholars, parents, friends, guest speakers, and administrators of the NJSGA.
Guest speakers included Caddie Scholarship Foundation chairman Ed Batta, Caddie Scholar alumnus Jim Woods, current scholar Colleen Farrell of Echo Lake, NJSGA president Frank O’Brien, CSF donor Laura Benevento of Canoe Brook and NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation director Johanna Gavin.
Also in attendance was Baltusrol caddie Tyler Citrin, a rising sophomore at Indiana University, an NJSGA Caddie Scholar who is the newest recipient of the full-tuition Western Golf Association Evans Scholarship.
It was another banner year for the Caddie Scholarship Foundation which set a new record with $999,902 in donations received. This year, the CSF will likely surpass $12 million in donations in its 68-year history after surpassing the $11 million mark in 2014.
A total of $844,668 was awarded to 199 scholarships recipients. The graduation rate is an astounding 96 percent, highest in the nation. The NJSGA CSF grants 23 “special” scholarships that augment the regular $3,500 award.
This year, the newest “special” scholarship was initiated by Canoe Brook Country Club, the Steven Benevento Memorial Scholarship in memory of the late Steven Benevento, an advocate of hard work and education. Joseph Deehan is the first recipient of the award.
Grade point averages of the 2015-16 academic class ranged from 3.0 to 3.5 and the average SAT score was nearly 1,200, according to Sheila Menendez, CSF Director of Education. Over the 68 years of continuous operation, nearly 3,000 individuals have been rewarded with NJSGA CSF scholarships.
“Over the past five years that I’ve caddied, I’ve learned so much more than just the game of golf,” said Farrell, who attends Villanova University. “I’ve gained valuable guidance and life lessons. I’ve received so much assistance from the golfers at Echo Lake. I am humbled to be a caddie scholar.”
Jim Woods, Class of 1981, attended Old Dominion University thanks to tuition aid from the CSF. He caddied at Navesink where his children Emily (Rutgers) and Kevin (Savannah College of Art and Design) are currently employed.
“Caddieing is the greatest job a kid could have. You learn responsibility; you learn to be on time and be prepared. I loved it from the first day. But you put in your time and pay your dues.
“I carry those things with me today. These principles go on today. I was the middle child of five. My dad was a fireman, my mom a bookkeeper. The caddie scholarship helped me immensely. I got only good things from caddieing and the program. It’s a thrill that my children are also scholarship recipients at the same club,” Wood concluded.
Batta stated the 92 percent of those students who apply receive NJSGA Caddie Scholarships.
“Caddieing is a unique life experience that requires the same self-motivation and dedication that made you successful in the classroom,” Batta said. “You have to prove that you can do the job physically and intelligently.
“Those of you here have proven you have what it takes to be a top-notch caddie, an excellent student and a terrific son or daughter, one who is committed to doing what it takes to be a productive young citizen and a leader among your peers.
“You have benefitted with greater self-esteem and personal discipline and the knowledge that you can do better in everything that you choose to do,” Batta stated.
NJSGA Caddie Scholars receive a minimum award of $3,500 per year for all incoming freshmen and new in-college recipients. This action is a continuance of the Foundation’s long-range goal to keep pace with the continued increase in tuition costs.
In 2014, 203 students received awards totaling $870,484.
While admittedly a supplemental scholarship in terms of overall college costs, the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship plays an important role for most recipients, given that the main focus is to provide scholarships for those most in need. Since its inception in 1947, the Foundation has funded the costs of higher education to more than 3,400 caddie scholars.
The scholarships are funded through individual member contributions at the NJSGA’s member clubs that sponsor caddie programs. The applicant must have caddied at least two golfing seasons, document financial need, and demonstrate an academic record consistent with college requirements.
