Colorado Springs, Colo. – Six recent college graduates, representing a wide variety of interests and academic backgrounds, joined the United States Golf Association’s Fellowship in Leadership and Service program this past June.
The six new Fellows are: Blair Bodine (Columbia University) of Philadelphia, Pa.; Josh Gelfand (University of Pennsylvania) of DuBois, Pa.; Erica Goodman (Middlebury College) of Fort Ann, N.Y.; Gennessa Guzman (University of Kentucky) of Covina, Calif.; Matt Keys (Dickinson College) of Carlisle, Pa..; and Amanda Wilson (Michigan State University) of Portage, Mich. The new class of Fellows represents course emphasis in East Asian Languages and Cultures, Economics, History, International Business, Marketing and Political Science.
These six Fellows have participated in a variety of leadership and growth activities to augment their education, from founding an international education campaign, to writing and performing music, to interning at an investment banking firm, to writing columns in school newspapers, to actively volunteering as coaches and mentors, and competing in collegiate athletics.
The Fellows will be working in the USGA Grants and Fellowship Office based in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Fellowship in Leadership and Service program is a two-year, post-graduate commitment with the option to petition for a specialized project during the third year. It is aimed at developing professional skills, such as leadership and organizational efficiency, education in the roles of foundations and the not-for-profit sector, and hands-on experience in the golf world. Fellows have the opportunity to work at one of the 13 Championships the USGA conducts each year. There are currently 12 Fellows employed in the program, which is entering its 10th year. This year, 105 students applied for the position. Applications came from 78 different colleges and universities, and the applicants hailed from 27 different states.
"We are excited to usher in a new class of Fellows – dynamic, young college graduates looking to impact the lives of others," said Judy Bell, former USGA President who currently serves as the Consulting Director of the USGA Grants & Fellowships and is a member of the USGA Grants Committee. "During the next two years, each Fellow will have hands-on opportunities to improve professional and personal skills for a successful future."
"The diversity of the Fellowship experience is what attracts a group like this year’s class: quality people with a multitude of interests and experiences," said Steve Czarnecki, manager of the Grants Initiative and Fellowship Program. "It is this very diversity that makes us better able to serve programs in local communities through the Grants Program and learn from each other through the Fellowship’s developmental curriculum."
USGA Grants Initiative: A Capsule History
The USGA Grants Initiative works to make the game of golf affordable and accessible, focusing primarily on funding golf programs for economically disadvantaged youth and individuals with disabilities. Beyond this traditional focus, the USGA also partners with national organizations to promote affordable and accessible facility development, course access, girls’ golf, and other initiatives for individuals with disabilities. Since 1997, it has awarded more than $52 million as part of its ongoing $5-million annual grants initiative to provide financial support and assistance to deserving organizations around the country. The USGA Executive Committee has extended its grants initiative to the end of the decade, bringing total anticipated USGA support to $65 million.
For more information on the USGA Grants Initiative, contact the Grants office at (719) 471-4810 or visit the Grants Section of the USGA Web site at www.usga.org.
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