The Congaree Foundation said it is helping set up a scholarship under Coastal Carolina University’s PGA golf management program.
The foundation, which is part of the Congaree Golf Club near Gillisonville in northern Jasper County, said the Congaree Foundation scholarship will begin in the 2022-23 academic year.
Officials said the scholarship “is awarded annually to a new undergraduate student at CCU. Eligible students will be enrolled full-time freshmen, enrolled in the Congaree Foundation program, and residents of South Carolina. ”
Coastal Carolina’s golf management program “prepares students for successful careers in the golf industry by combining academic study and a professional golf training curriculum,” according to a press release. “Completion of the program enables graduates to pursue careers as club or teaching professionals, golf association administrators, representatives of golf equipment manufacturers or specialist publications and many other exciting opportunities in the ever-growing golf industry.”
The foundation will provide a list of candidates for the scholarship each spring, according to a press release, and the CCU will select the scholarship holder each year. The scholarship is said to “cover the recipient’s tuition and fees and may be obtained during the student’s four-year full-time enrollment in the PGA golf management program.”
“The Congaree Foundation Scholarship is a great opportunity for students participating in Coastal Carolina’s PGM program,” said CCU President Michael T. Benson. “We are very grateful for the support of the university through the Congaree Foundation. Together, we share a commitment to improving educational opportunities for South Carolina residents. ”
Congaree Golf Club first welcomed the PGA Tour to Jasper County with the Palmetto Championship in June, launched following the cancellation of the RBC Canadian Open due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The club’s Congaree Foundation says their “mission is to have a positive impact on the lives of young people locally and around the world through the game of golf”. It has worked with local organizations such as the Lowcountry Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry, and offers golf lessons to young people at Sergeant Jasper Golf Club.
The Foundation’s “signature program” is the Congaree Global Golf Initiative, which it describes as “an immersive college prep curriculum tailored for high school students in the US and internationally. Participants come to Congaree each summer to work with educators, career counselors and golf instructors to advance their college admissions process and prepare them for success in life. ”
“The Congaree Foundation is at the heart of Congaree Golf Club and has a philanthropic mission to positively impact the lives of young people in South Carolina and around the world who share a passion for golf,” said Bruce Davidson, director of golf at Congaree . “We are excited to partner with Coastal Carolina University to offer the Congaree Foundation Scholarship and provide financial resources that will enable ambitious students to realize their dream of working in the golf industry.”