The CSGA recently awarded sixteen scholarships to employees at Connecticut golf clubs. The scholarships are given in honor of its long-time Executive Director William “Widdy” Neale. The program recognizes graduating high school seniors who work at CSGA member golf clubs in positions serving the golf program and/or serving golfers and who are enrolling in four-year colleges and universities. Recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, scholarship, school and community service, and good character. The Fund is supported primarily by a major financial commitment from the CSGA. Other significant contributors include the Bob Pryde Endowment administered by The Community Foundation for New Haven, the Connecticut State Seniors Golf Association, the Senior Golfers of Connecticut, and the New England Senior Golfers’ Association. Increasingly important are the contributions of individual golfers through the CSGA donors recognition program. Since 1954, the program has awarded over $2.4 million in scholarship aid to over 500 graduating high school seniors. Unlike many other scholarship programs, the CSGA scholarships are four-year awards.
CSGA Scholarship Fund Chairman Richard Zanini stated that this year’s recipients are all outstanding young people with excellent academic records who have been leaders in their schools and who have completed extensive community service. He stated that their fields of interest for college study are diverse and include engineering, architecture, business administration, marketing, accounting, biology, psychology, environmental science, pre-law, and sports management. Dr. Zanini indicated that the scholarship awards generally range from $1,000 to $2,500 and may be renewed for up to three years.
This year’s recipients are:
| Thomas Antoniak | Wethersfield | Penn State University | Wethersfield CC |
| Taylor Beck | Old Saybrook | Assumption College | Old Lyme CC |
| William Blaney | Vernon | Eastern Connecticut State | Elington Ridge CC |
| Janaya Bradley | New Haven | Regis College | New Haven CC |
| John Corcoran | Darien | Roger Williams University | Woodway CC |
| Richard Dowling III | Shelton | Fairfield University | Great River Golf Club |
| Andrew Fahle | Suffield | Lyndon State College | Suffield CC |
| Bryan Fitzgerald | Shelton | Castleton State College | Highland Golf Club |
| Russell Korolyshun | New Haven | University of Connecticut | Mill River CC |
| Sarah Longwell | Trumbull | University of Connecticut | Tashua Knolls GC |
| Eric Olson | Harwinton | Providence College | Fairview Farm GC |
| Kristen Paesani | Hebron | University of Rhode Island | Norwich Golf Course |
| Hailey Salito | Trumbull | University of South Carolina | Richter Park GC |
| Mark Sassu | Bristol | Suffolk University | Chippanee Golf Club |
| Cody Seaman | East Granby | Clemson University | Copper Hill GC |
| Stephanie Winslow | Farmington | College of William & Mary | Farmington Woods GC |
Forty-nine Widdy Neale scholarship recipients currently attend colleges as diverse as Connecticut College, NYU, Penn State, College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina, Dickinson, Providence, Bentley, Bryant, Holy Cross, Wheaton, Boston College, Northeastern, St. Johns, George Washington, James Madison, Susquehanna, Cornell, St. Bonaventure, Wake Forest, Tufts, Tulane, William and Mary, and the Universities of Massachusetts, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Connecticut.
