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VSGA honors award recipients at VSGA Day

Written by Chris Lang | May 26, 2022 2:52:13 PM

MIDLOTHIAN, VA — Thirty-one high-school seniors and four graduate students in the turfgrass research program at Virginia Tech were among 35 scholars announced by the VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation as 2022 award recipients.

The recipients were honored at VSGA Day on Monday, May 23, at Richmond Country Club.  It was the first in-person ceremony since 2019, as the 2020 and 2021 festivities were not held due to the pandemic.

The Foundation provides grants and gifts for scholarships, scientific and educational research, and other charitable purposes. This year’s grants total $128,500 and since being launched, and the program has distributed $2.6 million to 1,089 students.

Included in the 2022 total are the largest gifts the Foundation has ever granted—a pair of $10,000 awards to the top girl and boy recipients.

“This year’s class of scholarship applicants and our ultimate award recipients showcased outstanding scholastic and community accomplishments, particularly under the challenging academic circumstances of the past few years,” said Foundation president Joan Gardner. “We at the VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation are pleased to reward their hard work, and to play a part in encouraging the pursuit of their dreams.”

Funding for scholarships is generated primarily from the sale of the VSGA VIP Golf Card, and Virginia high school seniors with an interest in golf are eligible to apply. Students are evaluated based on academic achievement, community involvement and an essay on the impact of golf on the applicant’s life.

Grants include the Spencer-Wilkinson award, which draws from a fund formed by Debbie Spencer and Mary Nell Wilkinson. Since its formation more than 20 years ago, 56 young women have received Spencer-Wilkinson scholarships. This year’s award went to Waynesboro High School’s Emily Hamp who was considered the top applicant in this year’s class.  Emily is the daughter of scholarship recipient Michael Hamp who was one of six scholarship winners in 1986.

The 2022 grants also include the 22nd C. Dan Keffer Award, which goes to an individual in honor of the former VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation Committee Chairman. This year’s recipient was Bluefield’s Joseph Tyson, who attends Graham High School.

The Red Speigle Award, named in honor of the late longtime teaching professional from the Peninsula area, was given to Virginia Beach’s Rebecca Sun, who attends Ocean Lakes High School. The David A. King Award, which the senior amateur golfer established in 2002, went to Anastasia Rao of Lorton, who attends Saint Paul the Great Catholic High School. The Richard Smith Award, given in remembrance of the VSGA’s longtime director of championships and supporter of junior golf, went to Julie Shin of Brambleton, who attends Independence High School.

2022 VSGA-VIP SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION AWARD RECIPIENTS

Emily Hamp (Waynesboro HS) — $10,000, including the Spencer-Wilkinson Award

  • Class rank: 1 of 205 | GPA: 4.70
  • Golf Involvement: Golf team captain; medalist, VHSL Girls Championship regional qualifier; four-year letter winner; top-5 in VSGA Junior Golf Circuit rankings; Peggy Kirk Bell and First Citizens Junior tours.
  • Extracurricular Activities: Key Club; Lt. Gov, Capital District Key Club Board; Youth Philanthropy Council of the Central Blue Ridge; Latin Club; Beta Club; classical violinist; Robotics Club; Senior Class Council; Capital District Joint Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce; Kiwanis Family Committee; Memorial Baptist Youth Group.
  • Work Experience: Internship, Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge.
  • Volunteer Activities: Staunton Valley Mission Shelter; Salvation Army bell ringer; C.R.O.P. Hunger Walk; Waynesboro Area Refugee Ministry; Rise Against Hunger; Summit Square Retirement Community.
  • Honors/Awards: National Latin Exam Award winner; Summa Cum Laude (2019-20); National Latin Classical Literacy Exam Gold Award (2019); Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award; WHS Mathematics “Hall of Fame” Award; Perfect score on Algebra 2 SOL; Division I Math Award; Virginia State Beta Convention; Capital District Outstanding Vice President Award; Superintendent’s Honor Roll; Straight As since kindergarten.
  • Academic Interests: Pre-medicine
  • College: Brown University
  • VSGA member: Orchard Creek

Joe Tyson (Bluefield/Graham HS) — $10,000 including the C. Dan Keffer Award

  • Class rank: 1 of 122 | GPA: 4.38
  • Golf Involvement: Golf team; first-team all-Southwest District
  • Extracurricular Activities: FBLA; Model General Assembly; Conference on National Affairs; Boy Scouts of America; Mountain Academic Competition Conference team; HS soccer team; Church youth group.
  • Work experience: Kitchen staff—Dairy Queen and minor-league baseball team.
  • Volunteer Activities: Mission trips—Uruguay (2018), Wilmington (2021).
  • Honors/Awards: AP scholar with distinction; first-place nationally in FBLA economics competition competitive event; WISE Financial Literacy Ambassador award; National Merit Letter of Commendation; Virginia Governor’s School scholar; Eagle Scout.
  • Academic Interests: Economics, finance, European history, computer science, government, politics, music theory
  • College: Princeton University

Anastasia Rao (Lorton/Saint John Paul the Great Catholic HS) —
$7,500, including the David A. King Award

  • GPA: 4.38
  • Golf Involvement: Golf Team, varsity letter
  • Extracurricular Activities: House of More SLA (Servant Leadership Association/student government); intro to high school seminar leader; student ambassador; Yuma Center leadership training; girls groups for spiritual and mental community; actress and musician.
  • Honors/Awards: Martin De Porres Award; St. Thomas Aquinas Award; Larry Firth Scholarship; St. Michael the Archangel Military Scholarship; academic scholar award; National Honor Society; National Science Honor Society; National English Honor Society; National Latin Honor Society; Tri-M Music Honor Society.
  • Academic Interests: Communication sciences and disorders; cognitive science (neuroscience/psychology)
  • College: The Catholic University of America

Rebecca Sun (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes HS) — $7,500, including the Red Speigle Award

  • Class Rank: 5 of 509 | GPA: 4.59
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain (2021), MVP (2018-19); won girls division at 7th VSGA Junior Golf Circuit Championship
  • Extracurricular Activities: Mu Alpha Theta; Beach Mentorship Program Tutor
  • Work Experience: Mathnasium instructor
  • Volunteer Activities: S. Kids Golf Hampton Roads Local Tour volunteer; U.S. Kids Golf Virginia State volunteer; VSGA JGC volunteer
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; French National Honor Society; William & Mary 2021 Leadership Book Award; Norfolk Sports Club 2021 Outstanding Metro Scholastic Golfer; American Invitational Mathematics Examination Qualifier; Virginian-Pilot Scholastic Achievement Team; Dedicated Dolphin Award
  • Academic Interests: Computer science, mathematics, economics
  • College: Georgia Tech

Julie Shin (Brambleton/Independence HS) — $7,500, including the Richard Smith Award

  • Class Rank: 15 of 386 | GPA: 4.58
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; 2021 VSGA Junior Girls’ Golfer of the Year; 4-time Peggy Kirk Bell champion; VSGA Women’s Amateur championship medalist and finalist; Bobby Bowers Memorial Jr. Golf Tournament champion
  • Extracurricular Activities: Figure skating (gold medalist in Moves in the Field); silver ice-dance medalist; Independence Physics Olympiad team; Co-founder of the Indy KPop Club; leader of Indy KPop performance group
  • Volunteer Activities: Golf camp coach at 1757 Golf Club for three seasons.
  • Honors/Awards: AP Scholar with distinction; Independence Award of Academic Excellence
  • Academic Interests: Calculus, finance, statistics
  • College: University of Pennsylvania

Mary Blackwood (Roanoke/Salem HS) — $5,000

  • GPA: 4.44
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; First Tee of Roanoke Valley
  • Extracurricular Activities: Forensics Team; swim team; Delphi Literary Magazine; Salem High School’s The Little Mermaid; Girl Scouts; Camp Nakanawa
  • Work Experience: Camp Nakanawa counselor
  • Volunteer Activities: First Tee of Roanoke Valley Parent-Child Golf Tournament; Girls Golf Day; Andrew Lewis Community Garden
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Spanish National Honor Society; Girl Scouts bronze and silver awards
  • Academic Interests: Chemistry, Spanish
  • College: Washington & Lee University

Bella Bray (Vienna/Oakton HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 4.15
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS basketball and field hockey teams; AAU basketball; DECA; Positivity 4 Patients; Operation Smile; Be the Change
  • Work Experience: Westwood CC, member services and sales associate; babysitter
  • Volunteer Activities: Best Buddies; National Charity League; Wounded Warriors; Special Olympics; Animal Rescue; organized food and clothing drive
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; History Honor Society; AB Honor Roll; Athletic Honor Roll; NCL Mission Bell Award; NCL Yellow Rosebud Award
  • Academic Interests: Business management, finance, marketing
  • College: University of Georgia
  • VSGA Member: Country Club of Fairfax

Griffin Butt (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox HS) — $5,000

  • Class rank: 34 of 423 | GPA: 4.20
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain; state finalist
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS lacrosse team captain; Cox Stocks Club (co-founder); DECA; Boo Bash; Thoroughgood Elementary Leadership Workshop (coordinator); Falcon Fest New Student Orientation (tour leader)
  • Work Experience: Bayville Golf Club, groundskeeper
  • Volunteer Activities: Upward Basketball League; Upward Soccer League; Capernaum Surf Camp for Disabled Youth; Youthworks Mission Trips; Vacation Bible School, mission fundraiser; Winter Shelter; Judeo Christian Outreach Center; Food Bank of Southeast Virginia
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Math Honors Society; Science Honors Society; Soaring Falcon Award
  • Academic Interests: Finance, economics, business
  • College: High Point University

Kate Chrestman (Alexandria/Annandale HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 4.30
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team, four-year captain; Girls Open Zone 4A qualifier
  • Extracurricular Activities: Girls Scouts of USA; Nations Capitol Council; DECA; varsity swim and soccer teams
  • Work Experience: Pinecrest Golf Course, pro shop attendant and junior golf camp counselor; Congressional Summer Camp, counselor-in-training
  • Volunteer Activities: Girl Scouts of USA (more than 100 hours of community service)
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; National Business Honor Society; Girl Scouts Silver Trefoil Award; Girl Scout Gold Award; DECA State Leadership Conference; President’s Award for Educational Excellence; “Hawk” Award; Rotary Club Medal
  • Academic Interests: Business, marketing
  • College: University of Mississippi
  • VSGA Member: VSGA Junior Golf Circuit

Will Clarkson (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker HS) — $5,000

  • Class Rank: 3 of 375 | GPA: 4.65
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain
  • Extracurricular Activities: Parent Teacher Student Organization student rep; Art Club; UNICEF Club; Boy Scouts (patrol leader); HS tennis team; wrestling team; church acolyte
  • Work Experience: Lifeguard
  • Volunteer Activities: Shalom Farms; Eagle Scout Service Project
  • Honors/Awards: All A Honor Roll; National Honor Society; Spanish National Honor Society; CPR/AED Certified; Eagle Scout; IBMYP graduate
  • Academic Interests: Policy studies, government research
  • College: University of Virginia

Brian Cohn (Norfolk/Granby HS) — $5,000

  • Class Rank: 4 of 434 | GPA: 4.92
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain and MVP
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS tennis team captain and MVP; Scholastic Bowl team member; 3D Print Club (treasurer); Model UN (head delegate); Intermural Table Tennis Club; IB Mentorship Club; Model NATO Challenge Scholarship Program
  • Work Experience: Your Pie; associate at TopGolf
  • Volunteer Activities: Ohef Sholom Temple board member; Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team
  • Honors/Awards: All A Honor Roll; AP Scholar with distinction; ODU Model UN, best delegate in Iran Crisis; Student of the Year (math, IB TOK, IB history junior); Employee of the month at Your Pie; Optimist Club You Appreciation honor; Citizenship Award from Academy for Discovery at Lakewood; Eagle Award for Highest Male GPA Academy; President’s Education Award
  • Academic Interests: Business, economics
  • College: College of William & Mary

William Croyle (Winchester/Millbrook HS) — $5,000

  • Class Rank: 20 of 432 | GPA: 4.25
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; Northwestern District all-academic award; MVP 2021, Coaches Award 2020
  • Extracurricular Activities: Baseball; Leo Club (treasurer); Key Club; FCA; DECA; cross country; Young Life; Sacred Heart Catholic Church altar server
  • Volunteer Activities: Salvation Army soup kitchen; baseball coach; Vacation Bible School; Adapted P.E. Aide; National League of Junior Cotillions Blue Ridge Chapter; Bright Future donation drive
  • Honors/Awards: All-Academic Award (cross country, baseball, track, golf); Millbrook Pioneer Spirit Award; Perfect Attendance Award; Customer Service Certification; Workplace Readiness Certification
  • Academic Interests: Economics, financial planning, finance, business
  • College: High Point University

Sydney Hackett (Ashburn/Rock Ridge HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 4.32
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team, three-year captain; qualified and played in 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur; Qualified and played in 2022 U.S. Amateur Women’s Four-Ball; 2019 Nike Junior Champion; 2020 PKBGT Order of Merit Champion
  • Extracurricular Activities: WINGS mentor program; All-County Orchestra; First Chair in Artist Orchestra; Varsity Club; school newspaper staff
  • Work Experience: 1757 GC
  • Volunteer Activities: PKBGT event
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Tri-M Music Honor Society (secretary)
  • Academic Interests: Physics, finance, journalism, history
  • College: Western Kentucky University
  • VSGA Member: 1757 GC

Jake Koffman (Daleville/Lord Botetourt HS) — $2,000

  • Class rank: 34 out of 256 | GPA: 4.15
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; qualified for state championship in 2019; 1st-team All-Region
  • Extracurricular Activities: Key Club; HS soccer team captain
  • Work Experience: Membership representative, Botetourt YMCA
  • Volunteer Activities: Blue Ridge Marathon traffic director; Ironman bike loader
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Cavalier Award
  • Academic Interests: Engineering (civil/structural)
  • College: Virginia Tech

Andersen Moore (Dublin/Pulaski County HS) — $1,000

  • Class Rank: 6 of 306 | GPA: 4.20
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS soccer team; club/travel soccer
  • Work Experience: Calfee Baseball Park (ticket scanner); Pulaski County Recreation Department (referee)
  • Volunteer Activities: Dublin Ruritan Club; handing out bagged lunches in Pulaski County; COVID-19 screening for indoor recreation basketball (Pulaski County Recreation Department)
  • Honors/Awards: All A Honor Roll; National Honor Society; New River Community College President’s List; National Honor Society of High School Scholars
  • Academic Interests: Sports medicine, business
  • College: King University

Bay Moore (Dublin/Pulaski County HS) — $1,000

  • Class Rank: 6 of 306 | GPA: 4.20
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS soccer team; club/travel soccer
  • Work Experience: Calfee Baseball Park (ticket scanner); Pulaski County Recreation Department (referee)
  • Volunteer Activities: Dublin Ruritan Club; handing out bagged lunches in Pulaski County; COVID-19 screening for indoor recreation basketball (Pulaski County Recreation Department)
  • Honors/Awards: All A Honor Roll; National Honor Society; New River Community College President’s List; National Honor Society of High School Scholars
  • Academic Interests: Sports medicine, business, exercise science
  • College: King University

Campbell Moore (Dublin/Pulaski County HS) — $1,000

  • Class Rank: 6 of 306 | GPA: 4.20
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS soccer team; club/travel soccer
  • Work Experience: Calfee Baseball Park (ticket scanner); Pulaski County Recreation Department (referee)
  • Volunteer Activities: Dublin Ruritan Club; handing out bagged lunches in Pulaski County; COVID-19 screening for indoor recreation basketball (Pulaski County Recreation Department)
  • Honors/Awards: All A Honor Roll; National Honor Society; New River Community College President’s List; National Honor Society of High School Scholars
  • Academic Interests: Finance, business, exercise science/athletic training
  • College: King University

Nick Owen (Midlothian/James River HS) — $7,500

  • Class Rank: 3 of 462 | GPA: 4.98
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain (2021); Richmond Times-Dispatch second-team all-metro; placed 5th at VHSL Class 6 championship; first-place 14-18 flight in 2021 VSGA Parent-Child Championship
  • Extracurricular Activities: Tennis team captain (11th and 12th grades); James River High School Captain’s Council; SURF Mentor and Council Member; VEX Robotics Team captain and head programmer; Center for Leadership & International Relations Summer Institute; Political Awareness Club; Key Club; DECA; James River HS peer facilitator.
  • Work Experience: James River Equipment intern; Robins Junior Golf Camp counselor; player services/cart barn, Independence GC.
  • Volunteer Activities: Volunteer instructor at junior golf camps; designed Valentine’s Day cards for nursing homes; food bank distribution; Connor’s Heroes
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; World Language Honor Society; Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society; National Merit Commended Scholar; AP Scholar; Homecoming Rapid Royalty Court; Leadership Student Spotlights integrity award
  • Academic Interests: Computer science, data science, physics, mathematics, engineering, economics
  • College: University of Virginia
  • VSGA Member: Independence GC

Jake Rashap (Leesburg/Loudoun County HS) — $5,000

  • Class Rank: 19 of 344 | GPA: 4.49
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: Varsity soccer and basketball; Stock Investment Trading; Real Estate Investment
  • Work Experience: Club at Creighton Farms assistant manager with a Pool Operator Certification and a Lifeguard Certification; Loudoun Soccer, head referee
  • Volunteer Activities: SERVE Camp – 250+ hours of volunteering at a community service-oriented camp
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Academies of Loudoun (Academies of Engineering and Technology)
  • Academic Interests: Business, computer science
  • College: University of Virginia
  • VSGA Member: VSGA Junior Golf Circuit

D’yan Robinson (Richmond/Collegiate School) — $1,500

  • GPA: 3.30
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; Second place at 2019 VISAA State Championship; Nominated by RWGA to attend Wake Forest Golf Camp
  • Extracurricular Activities: Future Medical Professionals Club; Tri-M Club (student mentorship program); piano; pit orchestra; Junior Advisory Board; track and field; tennis
  • Work Experience: Belmont Golf Course (outside staff)
  • Volunteer Activities: Volunteer First Tee coach (par and birdie level classes); volunteer coach for Markel Insurance Group women’s golf clinic
  • Honors/Awards: Certificate of Achievement, Senior Regionals Orchestra and Central Regional Orchestra; Selected by First Tee to attend Par-3 National Championship; VISAA Day of Arts
  • Academic Interests: Biology, pre-med
  • College: Christopher Newport University
  • VSGA Member: VSGA uClub

Fei Rosebro (Richmond/Veritas School) — $2,000

  • GPA: 3.76
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; first-team all-state; Female medalist at VISAA Division III Championship in 2021; VSGA Junior Golf Circuit 9-hole champion
  • Work Experience: Belmont Golf Course, cart and range attendant; dog walker
  • Volunteer Experience: Landscaping at Veritas School (restoring long-neglected African American cemeteries); Youth Life Foundation of Richmond; Urban Hope; Elijah House Academy; Church Hill Activities and Tutoring
  • Honors/Awards: Scholastic art & writing awards; architectural design; National Latin Exam, Magna Cum Laude; Selected for Summer Regional Governor’s School for Math and Science; Celebrating Art Contest winner. Recently named one of 20 national scholarship winners from Youth on Course
  • Academic Interests: PGA golf management, architecture engineering, civil engineering
  • College: University of Virginia

Teddy Ross (Alexandria/The Potomac School) — $5,000

  • GPA: 3.90
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team co-captain; Hurricane Junior Golf Tour; Belle Haven CC 2018 Junior club champion
  • Extracurricular Activities: School orchestra (violin); Washington Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (principal second violinist); Solo and Ensemble Violin Festival; Match Club; squash team; Boy Scouts of America
  • Work Experience: Caddy at Robert Trent Jones GC
  • Volunteer Activities: Volunteer golf coach at The First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C.
  • Honors/Awards: National Spanish Award, silver; Eagle Scout; Arthur M. & Brenda King Eagle Scout Essay Contest winner for Virginia; National Merit Commended Scholar
  • Academic Interests: Chemistry, chemical engineering, business, economics
  • College: Washington & Lee University
  • VSGA Member: Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club

Medhnaa Saran (Vienna/Pinnacle Academy) — $5,000

  • Class Rank: 1 of 25 | GPA: 4.60
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: Tae Kwan Do (black belt); Designed an app to track locations of human trafficking hotspots; Student Government Association (president); Science Olympiad (captain); First Robotics Competition (captain); First Lego League (captain); Future City Competition (coach)
  • Work Experience: 100 Million Campaign at Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, youth strategist and intern; University of Maryland, student intern; Pinnacle Academy, PE teacher; George Washington University, student intern
  • Volunteer Activities: Touch of Life Foundation (president/founder)
  • Honors/Awards: Vienna Hero Award; Kailash Satyarthi Foundation Recognition Award; Congressional Award, gold medalist; Lifetime Presidential Achievement Award, Americorps; International Children’s Peach Prize Nominee; First place in George Mason University Regional Science and Engineering Fair; Scholastic Silver Key Award; U.S. Representative for UN side event, keynote speaker
  • Academic Interests: Fire protection engineering, mechanical engineering, child protection law
  • College: University of Maryland

Oen Shikimachi (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 3.97
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain; VSGA events; College Prep Golf Tour; Hampton Roads Regional 5A runner-up
  • Extracurricular Activities: HS tennis and swim teams; Japanese American Citizens League; Earth Club; Garden Club; Bee Club; Princess Anne Leadership Workshop Participant; ukulele performer
  • Volunteer Activities: First Tee of Hampton Roads volunteer camp counselor; LPGA Kingsmill Pure Silk Championship junior standard bearer; organizer of local Chesapeake Bay Foundation fundraiser; YMCA summer golf camp
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Spanish Honor Society; Science Honor Society; Math Honor Society; WTKR Athlete of the Week; Rookie Athlete of the Year Finalist; AP Scholar Award; Honor Roll
  • Academic Interests: Chemistry, mathematics, biology
  • College: College of William & Mary

Ethan Snow (Richmond/Deep Run HS) — $2,000

  • Class Rank: 116 of 440 | GPA: 4.21
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; 2nd in VHSL 5A state tournament; 1st-team All-State; Richmond Times-Dispatch All-Metro Player of the Year; AJGA, Hurricane Junior Golf Tour and VSGA events
  • Extracurricular Activities: Spanish Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Young Life; Campaigners
  • Work Experience: Brown, Reynolds, Snow, LeNoir Denistries: Office duties, COVID-19 screener, sterilization of instruments; Wong’s Tacos, food runner; lawn-care business; Dick’s Sporting Goods
  • Volunteer Experience: Neighbors Helping Neighbors; Communities in Schools; River City Buddy Ball; Tusome Pamoja; Soles4Souls; Young Life Golf Tournament Fundraiser; Nuckols Farm Elementary PTA
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society; Honor Roll
  • Academic Interests: Accounting, finance, kinesiology
  • College: James Madison University
  • VSGA Member: VSGA Junior Golf Circuit and Hermitage Country Club

Joe Steiman (Alexandria/West Potomac HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 4.21
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; Coaches Award; Fall Athlete of the Year
  • Extracurricular Activities: Hockey; lacrosse; Technology Student Association; Coding Club
  • Work Experience: Belle Haven CC (bag room attendant/athletic facilities front desk); Mount Vernon Rec Center (rink guard); DoorDash driver
  • Honors/Awards: Honor Roll; AP Scholar Award
  • Academic Interests: Mechanical engineering; aerospace engineering; computer science engineering
  • College: University of Michigan
  • VSGA Member: Mount Vernon Country Club

Andrew Steis (Fredericksburg/Massaponax HS) — $2,000

  • Class Rank: 23 of 379 | GPA: 4.44
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; All-Area (2021); All-Area honorable mention (2019-20)
  • Extracurricular Activities: Baseball; DECA
  • Work Experience: Lee’s Hill GC (golf cart/golf range attendant)
  • Volunteer Activities: Lee’s Hill GC (volunteer youth summer camp); Lee’s Hill Community Association (deliver community crier newsletter); Little League Baseball challenger
  • Honors/Awards: Academic Excellence Award (2018-21); Spanish Honor Society
  • Academic Interests: Computer information systems
  • College: Virginia Tech
  • VSGA Member: VSGA Junior Golf Circuit

Samuel Stoke (Crozet/Western Albemarle HS) — $5,000

  • GPA: 4.77
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team, first-team All-Central Virginia
  • Extracurricular Activities: Ongoing research on functional MRI scans; competed at National Pokemon Championship, qualified for participation in World Championship; FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics programming
  • Work Experience: Orchard Creek, outdoor services representative
  • Volunteer Activities: Tutor; Key Club; Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry; Crozet Arts Festival
  • Honors/Awards: National AP Scholar; Magna and Maxima Cum Laude Awards from National Latin Exam; Mu Alpha Theta; Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society; Virginia Governor’s Latin Academy
  • Academic Interests: Math, computer science
  • College: Virginia Tech

Caleb Weissinger (Chesapeake/Greenbrier Christian School) — $1,500

  • Class Rank: 8 of 34 | GPA: 3.80
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team
  • Extracurricular Activities: Varsity football (captain, senior year); choir; yearbook staff; Student Government Association (vice president); youth group
  • Work Experience: Greenbrier CC (outside services attendant); after-school care staff
  • Volunteer Activities: Dominican Republic Short-Term Missions Team; internship with 3-year-old preschool class
  • Honors/Awards: Honor Roll; School Spirit Award
  • Academic Interests: Sports management, broadcasting, psychology
  • College: Liberty University
  • VSGA Member: Eaglewood GC

Sydney Witcher (Martinsville/Bassett HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 4.23
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team; VSGA Junior Golf Circuit Events; Cardinal Junior Golf Tour
  • Extracurricular Activities: Competition dance team; BETA Club; freshman mentor; Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy
  • Work Experience: Livy’s Ice Cream Shop
  • Volunteer Activities: Pack food boxes at Henry Country Food Pantry; Cross Point Church; BHS athletic boosters; Harvest Youth Board Thanksgiving Dinner; Trunk-or-Treat; camp counselor
  • Honors/Awards: National Honor Society
  • Academic Interests: Engineering
  • College: James Madison University

David Zhang (Blacksburg/Blacksburg HS) — $2,000

  • GPA: 4.31
  • Golf Involvement: HS golf team captain; Named to Bob McLelland Roanoke Golf Hall of Fame; Boys All-State Team; AJGA events; VSGA events
  • Extracurricular Activities: Kahoot Club (historian); Cinema & Photography Club; Ping Pong Club
  • Volunteer Activities: Virginia Tech basketball game concessions; Blacksburg Country Club junior clinics
  • Academic Interests: Business, marketing, management, entrepreneurship, economics
  • College: Carnegie Mellon University
  • VSGA Member: Blacksburg Country Club

Additionally, the VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation designated $5,500 for four students conducting turfgrass research at Virginia Tech.

TURFGRASS RESEARCH AWARDS

Shannon Bradley — $1,000

  • Current M.S. graduate student in turfgrass and ornamental entomology at Virginia Tech
  • Received B.S. in Chemistry from Virginia Wesleyan University in 2021
  • Research includes remote detection and prediction of both annual bluegrass weevil and beneficial pollinators as part of an effort to better identify areas to spray insecticides

Caleb Henderson — $1,500

  • First year Ph.D. candidate in Plant Pathology and Weed Science at Virginia Tech
  • 2021 M.S. graduate in Plant Pathology and Weed Science at Virginia Tech
  • Currently using cutting edge technology including machine learning and aerial imagery in the detection and management of disease in turfgrass systems.

John Peppers — $1,500

  • D. candidate in Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science at Virginia Tech
  • Received M.S. Agronomy and Soils from Auburn University in 2020
  • PhD research revolves around a newly registered herbicide – methiozolin – and an effort to help improve creeping bentgrass putting greens.

Matthew A. Tucker — $1,500

  • D. candidate in Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science at Virginia Tech
  • Received M.S. in Plant Pathology from Mississippi State University in 2020
  • Research goals are to help golf course superintendents identify and control lance nematodes – which are a turfgrass pest that cause root rot.

The VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation has a program in place to accept gifts and memorials. Anyone interested in funding a named scholarship or making a contribution should contact the VSGA.