GLENVIEW, Ill. – December 8, 2020 – The Illinois PGA Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2020 Don Pieper Scholarship and the 2020 Oscar Miles Scholarship. Jack Troy is the 2020 Oscar Miles Endowment Fund honoree and 17 total Don Pieper Scholarships were awarded including five new recipients. These two scholarships as well as the Alice Meyer Brown and Louis M. Brown Scholarships are awarded annually by the Illinois PGA Foundation.
Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, a gift was pledged to the Illinois PGA Foundation in 2004 to create two endowed funds in honor of Merit Club’s PGA Director of Golf, Don Pieper, and the facility’s renowned Golf Course Superintendent Oscar Miles. Each award recognizes outstanding graduating high school seniors based on selective eligibility and criteria. Scholarships may be renewed annually throughout the duration of the student’s college education based at the discretion of the scholarship committee.
Scholarships from the Oscar Miles Endowment Fund are awarded to support the following areas of interest: continuing education for Midwestern Association of Golf Course Superintendents (MAGCS) and Turf Equipment Technicians Association (TETA) Members, children and grandchildren of MAGCS Members pursuing a college education and non-profit organizations that utilize golf to promote youth development, and individuals interested in turfgrass research.
Jack Troy, the great-grandson of Illinois Golf Hall of Famer Zigfield Troy and the son of Illinois PGA Professional Mike Troy, was awarded a scholarship renewal. No new Oscar Miles Scholarship honoree was selected in 2020. Jack graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School in 2017 and is now a senior at the University of Nebraska studying turf science. In high school, he played on the Waubonsie Valley mens’ golf team for four years. He was the team MVP and qualified for state his junior and senior years (2016 & 2017). His grandfather, Dennis Troy, PGA, was a part of Oscar Miles’ maintenance team at Olympia Fields during the 1960s. Jack has followed in his grandfather’s footsteps as he worked on the grounds crew at Zigfield Troy Golf Club from 2014-2018. He also had a turf science internship at Glen Oak Country Club in 2020.
The Illinois PGA Foundation Don Pieper Scholarship Award encourages and promotes the attainment of higher education goals for the children, grandchildren, children-in-law and nieces or nephews of Illinois PGA Members who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement. Additionally, any individual who resides within the geographic boundaries of the Illinois PGA Section and is currently enrolled in a Professional Golf Management Program (PGM) at one of the PGA accredited colleges or universities offering such a program are also eligible for this award. The winners of the 2019 Don Pieper Scholarship Award are listed below with their associated PGA Professional:
2020 Honorees:
- Julia Kramer (Patrick Kramer, PGA)- North Central College (Class of 2023)
- Morgan Krouse (Tim Krouse, PGA)- Lake Land College (Class of 2024)
- Carly Schiene (Marty Schiene, PGA)- Valparaiso University (Class of 2024)
- Will Troy (Mike Troy, PGA)- Illinois State University (Class of 2024)
- Patricia Weeks (Kevin Weeks, PGA)- Elmhurst College (Class of 2023)
2020 Scholarship Renewals:
- Maggie Anderson (Sue Anderson, PGA) – Taylor University (Class of 2021
- Chris Bruno (Frank Bruno, PGA) – Millikin University (Class of 2024)
- Madeline Chemers (Harlan Chemers, PGA) -University of Illinois (Class of 2022)
- Mia Fogel (Darryl Stackhouse, PGA) – College of Lake County IL (Class of 2020)
- Claire Goss (Pat Goss, PGA) – Furman University (Class of 2024)
- Jack Grant (Ian Grant, PGA) – Michigan Technological University (Class of 2022)
- Tyson Kralis (Ray Kralis, PGA) – Illinois State University (Class of 2024)
- Jeremy Lorenz (Rich Lorenz, PGA) – Illinois State University (Class of 2022)
- Claire Lunde (Steve Lunde, PGA) – DePaul University (Class of 2024)
- Maggie Lynch (Patrick Lynch, PGA) – Illinois State University (Class of 2024)
- Andrew Romack (Ron Romack, PGA) – Iowa State University (Class of 2021)
- Katie Shook (Jason Shook, PGA) – University of Alabama (Class of 2024)
- Jesse Slattery (Ed Slattery, PGA) – Rockford University (Class of 2021)
- Philip Stackhouse (Darryl Stackhouse, PGA) – Xavier University (Class of 2022)
About the Illinois PGA/Illinois PGA Foundation
The Illinois Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving the men and women golf professionals in northern and central Illinois who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. The Illinois PGA is responsible for the administration of competitive golf tournaments, educational opportunities, support programs and growth of the game initiatives. With over 840 members and apprentices, the Illinois PGA is one of the 41 regional Sections that comprise the PGA of America. The Illinois PGA Foundation focuses its community efforts on promoting the goodwill and growth of the game with an emphasis on activities that benefit youth. Foundation initiatives include: GolfWorks Illinois, Youth-based Scholarship Funds and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. For more information about the Illinois PGA and the Illinois PGA Foundation, please visit www.www.ipga.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
CONTACT:
Kevin Quinn
Illinois PGA Communications
708.336.1294 mobile
kbquinn@pgahq.com