Carolinas GCSA awards $24K in scholarships

Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association presented $24,000 to 24 students in this year’s Bennett-Maples Scholarships.

The annual scholarship program is named for Grant Bennett and Henson Maples, who are credited with founding the Carolinas GCSA in 1954.

Carolinas GCSA scholar Parker Shoun with his father, Michael, on the day he signed to play lacrosse at Barton College. (Photo courtesy of Carolinas GCSA)

This year’s scholarships marked another milestone in a story that the golf course maintenance industry has helped to write for Parker Shoun, son of Michael Shoun, director of agronomy for McConnell Golf.

Parker Shoun, now 19, heads to Barton College in Wilson, N.C., this fall to study sports management and play lacrosse.

Parker Shoun was born profoundly deaf and needed a cochlear implant. Through the efforts of the Triangle Turfgrass Association, the Carolinas GCSA and a tractor donation from Revels Turf and Tractor, industry members raised more than $56,000 to help make the procedure possible.

As Shoun wrote in his essay as part of his scholarship application: “Sometimes job security for a golf course superintendent can be shaky. I was a 2-year-old deaf boy that needed a cochlear implant, and we did not have a way to pay for it … Getting that first cochlear implant at age 2 was the most impactful thing of my life. It allowed me to learn how to listen and talk. It affects every part of my life today. Thank you to those of you who organized the tractor raffle and bought a ticket back in 2004 so that I could be able to hear. I will always be grateful to you. I will carry what my dad’s profession has given me (literally) on my ears, but also in my heart for the rest of my life.”

This year’s 24 scholarship winners were chosen from 31 applicants. Carolinas GCSA said four more scholarships were possible this year thanks to a donation of $2,000 from Carolinas GCSA lifetime member Palmer Maples Jr., CGCS and others from E-Z-Go and FMC.

Scholarship winners are:

• Alexander Boone, son of Jeremy Boone, CGCS Springdale Country Club
• Emily Bowbliss, daughter of David Bowbliss, Pinehurst
• Amber Cavender, daughter of David Cavender, Cobblestone Park Golf Club
• Kimbal Chapman, daughter of Chris Chapman, CGCS Old North State Club at Uwharrie Point
• Makenna Connolly, daughter of Chuck Connolly, Smithfields Country Club
• Madison Crouch, daughter of Scott Crouch, Mid Carolina Club
• Jake Gamble, son of Ryan Gamble, Grande Dunes Members Club
• Emma Hamilton, daughter of Steve Hamilton, CGCS Dunes Golf and Beach Club
• Abigail Harbin, daughter of Mike Harbin, CGCS BrightView Golf Maintenance
• Will Harbin, son of Mike Harbin, CGCS BrightView Golf Maintenance
• Ethan Hill, son of Russell Hill, Grandover Resort and Spa
• Rachel Hill, daughter of Russell Hill, Grandover Resort and Spa
• Andrew Jacob, son of David Jacob, CGCS Benvenue Country Club
• Clay Lawrence, son of Todd Lawrence, CGCS The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation
• Jackson Lee, son of David Lee, Forest Creek Golf Club
• Lauren Lowe, daughter of Doug Lowe, CGCS Greensboro Country Club
• Payton Miller, daughter of Jeff Miller, Brays Island Plantation
• Alexis Peterson, daughter of Shannon Peterson, CGCS Mountain Air Country Club
• Liam Richau, son of Steve Richau, Vereens Turf Products
• Grace Robinson, daughter of Kevin Robinson, CGCS Pinehurst
• Parker Shoun, son of Michael Shoun, McConnell Golf
• Jordan Stephenson, son of Morgan Stephenson, Tobacco Road Golf Club
• J. Tolbert, son of Alex Tolbert, Orangeburg Country Club
• Peyton Walker, daughter of Marty Walker, CGCS Magnolia Greens/Compass Pointe