University of Wisconsin–Stout Graduate Earns Fellowship that Furthers Diversity in the Game and Business of Golf;
Gostonczik Helped Support Programming at 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
For photos of Hannah Gostonczik, click here.
GREENSBORO, N.C. – PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, in conjunction with the Carolinas PGA Section has named Hannah Gostonczik as its 2021 Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellow.
Gostonczik’s appointment makes her one of 18 individuals nationwide currently serving in a PGA WORKS Fellowship. Established in 2017, the PGA WORKS Fellowship is a grant program facilitating nine, year-long paid positions for recent college graduates. Focused on engaging an inclusive demographic of participants — with consideration to gender, age, race, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability and Veteran status — the PGA WORKS Fellowship establishes a strong bench of talent prepared to ascend into key employment positions within the business of golf.
“PGA WORKS is designed to diversify the golf industry’s workforce so it becomes more reflective of the consumers the golf industry collectively aspires to attract,” said PGA WORKS Program Specialist Rachel Mabee. “Our mission is to inspire individuals from all backgrounds to pursue the exciting career opportunities the golf business offers.”
As a PGA WORKS Fellow, Gostonczik will work on the PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation’s charitable golf programs, including PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the Foundation’s military pillar and flagship military program of PGA REACH. Gostonczik also assisted with programs surrounding last week’s 2021 PGA Championship at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. That included PGA Jr. League activities and the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup, a spirited 9-hole golf competition for military Veterans with disabilities who have participated in the PGA HOPE program.
“It is an honor to be named the Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellow, working for the PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation and the Carolinas PGA Section,” said Gostonczik. “I am pursuing a career in the golf industry because I’m passionate about the game, and I am equally passionate about growing the game to women, juniors, and underrepresented groups.”
Originally from Spooner, Wisconsin, Gostonczik has lived and worked in many different states/countries, including Alaska, Arizona, North Carolina and Australia, and is no stranger to life in the golf industry. Before accepting her Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellowship, she worked at public courses and private clubs as an assistant professional and a retail merchandiser. Gostonczik is a 2019 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Stout, where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Golf Enterprise Management. During her college career, she achieved a 3.94 GPA and was a member of the UW-Stout Honors College while being named Outstanding Co-op Student of the Year 2019.
In 2018, PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) foundation of the PGA of America, honored the legacy of Sara “Sunny” Harris Hutchinson by naming the PGA REACH Carolinas PGA WORKS Fellowship after her, with all participants receiving a salary, benefits and housing during their time in the program.
A devoted mother, wife, sister and daughter, as well as a graduate of Charlotte Latin and
Davidson College, Sara went by her popular nickname. She was a project interior designer and commercial broker at Lincoln Harris, the firm started by her father, Charlotte real estate developer and Quail Hollow Club President Johnny Harris.
Sunny had a true passion for the game of golf and was largely involved in the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club, as well as the Wells Fargo Championship. She passed away suddenly at the age of 43. The Fellowship serves as a lasting tribute to her loving memory, as well as her admiration for the game of golf.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship is a one-year, paid position, funded by PGA REACH, which currently hosts Fellows in PGA Sections and golf entities across the United States. For more information on PGA REACH, visit PGAREACH.org.
About the Carolinas PGA Section
Since its inception in 1923, the Carolinas PGA Section has been committed to nurturing and improving the quality of the game for the thousands of golfers using its member facilities. Now the largest of the PGA’s 41 Sections, the Carolinas PGA Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association boasts over 2,000 professional members and represents more than 500 golf facilities within North and South Carolina, as well as portions of southern Virginia.
About PGA WORKS
PGA WORKS is a strategic initiative designed to diversify the golf industry’s workforce. Funded as one of the pillars of PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, PGA WORKS leverages fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events, and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship to inspire and engage talent from all backgrounds to pursue key employment positions across the golf industry. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org.
About PGA REACH
PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to positively impact the lives of youth, military and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org and follow @PGAWORKS on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals who daily work to grow interest and inclusion in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Contact
Michael Abramowitz, PGA of America, mabramowitz@pgahq.com or 561-624-8458
Jared Minski, Mastro Communications, jared@mastrocomm.com or 732-546-4325
