Michigan Turfgrass Foundation SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES

The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation has a proud history of awarding scholarships to students of the MSU Turf Program and once again has selected several worthy MSU Turf Students. The MTF interviews student applicants in both the 4-year and 2-year Turf programs, and the selection process has been an integral part of the MTF for over 50 years. The list of awardees may be familiar to many of you and can be found by visiting the MTF Website for both names and year awarded. To review go to the MTF Website and click on the scholarship tab.

This year there were five MTF awards presented and included a new “Superintendent as Executives” scholarship presented by Shanty Creek Resorts. The criteria for “Superintendent As Executives” (SAE) sought a student that not only excelled in the turf management program but also demonstrated an interest in a secondary concentration in business or a related field.

The other 4 awards have a long history and many proud recipients including those listed in this edition of News Notes. The awards including the initial year are: The Norman W. Kramer Scholar Award (1972), The Robert Hancock Memorial Scholarship Award (1985), Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student (1968), Sports and Commercial Turf Scholarship (1990). Congratulations to the new awardees whose names are now included with many of their peers.

Matthew Dishon Norman W. Kramer Scholarship

Norman Kramer was the Golf Course Superintendent of Point O’ Woods Country Club in Benton Harbor , Michigan from 1959 to 1971. Prior to this he was Vice President of the Midwest Association of Golf Course Superintendents. In Michigan he served as Director, Vice President and President of the Western Michigan GCSA and Michigan GCSA. He was also a Past President of the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation at Purdue University . At the time of his death, he was serving as a Director of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation. Mr. Kramer was active in promoting the scholarship programs at Michigan State University and believed strongly in the youth of America . This award is dedicated to the memory of Norm Kramer.

Matthew Dishon - 2023 Norman W. Kramer Scholarship Awardee

Hometown: Grosse Ile, MI

Scholastic: 4-year MSU Turfgrass Management Program / 3.92 GPA

Awards/Activities: 2022 GCSASA Scholarship, 2021 MiGCSA Scholarship, 2012 Charles and Frances Osterman Award. MIGCSA, GCSAA, MTF Student member

Work experience: Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Supt. - Thomas Ashfield, Desert Mountain Golf Club, Volunteered at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, US Amateur Qualifier at Dallas National, Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club - Todd Probert – Superintendent

Goal: Strive to be future leader in the turf industry as a Golf Course Superintendent

Connor McBride

Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award

Kenyon T. Payne was Chairperson of the Department of Crop Science until 1969 when he took over the TwoYear Ag. Tech Program for Golf

Turfgrass Management. While there he worked with Professor Beard to get the program on solid ground. Approximately 800 students have graduated under Dr. Payne’s leadership. He was an avid supporter of excellent golf turf and did work on breeding Red Fescue resistance to Leaf Spot disease. Dr. Payne also served as treasurer of the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation for a number of years and was very well known in the University and in the industry nationwide. In his honor, what was the Outstanding Student Award, was renamed the Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Award.

Connor McBride - 2023 Kenyon T. Payne Outstanding Student Awardee

Hometown: Rochester, MI

Scholastic: 2-year MSU Turfgrass Management Program /GPA 3.902

Awards/Activities: MSU Turf Club President for 2022-2023 MIGCSA, GCSAA, MTF Student member

Work experience: Great Oaks Country Club, Bloomfield Hills Country Club- Grounds Crew – Supt. Dan Billette / Desert Mountain Club, Scottsdale AZ – Internship - Supt. Todd Bohn, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Pebble Beach, CA, Internship – Supt. Chris Dalhamer

Goals: Career change from medical device sales for the Michigan based company, Stryker to pursuing a Turf Degree and Golf Course Superintendent. Currently accepted Assistant Superintendent at Medinah Country Club, Chicago Ill. Ultimately gaining experiences to pursue highly regarded Golf Course Superintendent position.

David Berger Sports and Commercial Turf Scholarship Award

In 1987, MSU and the MTF recognized the importance of the lawn care industry in Michigan and the benefits of increasing its number of well-educated turf managers. To this end, Mr. Walter Wilkie, owner of the Toro Distributor in Pontiac and the Bare Foot Lawn franchises in Michigan, funded the startup of the Lawn Care Management Program in MSU’s Institute of Agricultural Technology. A similar need by the sports turf industry was recognized in 1992 when its name was changed to the Lawn Care/Athletic Turf Program and then again in 1997 when it became the Sports and Commercial Turf Management Program. Recognized nationally as the only one of its kind, the program continues to graduate outstanding students, many of whom have gone on to become well known and successful leaders in their respective industries.

David Berger - 2023 Sports and Commercial Turf Scholarship Awardee

Hometown: Webberville, MI

Scholastic: 4-year MSU Turfgrass Management Program / GPA 3.827

Awards/Activities: MSU Turf Club, - GCSAA, MiGCSA, and MiSTMA Student Member

Work experience: Oak Lane Golf Course, Webberville MI, Drury’s Landscaping Williamston, MI, Michigan State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics - Grounds Crew.

Goal: To further my career in turfgrass management by receiving a sports turf internship to gain experience.

Logan Complo

Robert Hancock Memorial Scholarship

Robert Hancock, from Jackson, Michigan, was owner and President of Hancock Industries. He was an avid golfer and served on the Greens Committee at Jackson Country Club. In the late 60’s, he became involved in golf turf programs and realized the need for research money in this field. At his death in the late 70’s, a portion of his estate was reserved for the financing of the proposed turfgrass Research Center at MSU. In 1979 construction began and in 1981 the Robert Hancock Turfgrass Research Center was opened. The HTRC is a first-class research and education facility used not only by students and faculty but by industry as well.

Logan Complo - 2023 Robert Hancock Memorial Scholarship Awardee

Hometown: Monroe, MI

Scholastic: Glen Oaks Community College, Michigan State University, 4-year Turfgrass Management Program / GPA 3.357

Awards/Activities: Special Olympics, Michigan State Turfgrass club member, SFMA member, Field of the year with West Michigan Whitecaps, Glen Oaks baseball program, MiSTMA member, Charles and Frances Osterman Scholarship, 2022 Scholarship recipient –Michigan Sports Turf Managers Association

Work experience: Lawn Service, 2010-Present, Monroe Charter Township - Seasonal grounds crew, West Michigan Whitecaps

Goal: To pursue my education and career in sports turf management.

Alex Nagy

Superintendents as Executives

Shanty Creek Resort is a four seasons resort in Bellaire Michigan. SCR recognizes the variety of skills that turf management graduates possessagronomy, human resources, equipment operation and maintenance, financial analysis and budgeting, irrigation, construction, etc. We are looking to the future of not only the resort industry but more specifically the development in the education of young turf management students. We believe that the skill set that most turf graduates possess lends to a greater potential in the abilities to adapt, problem solve and persevere in an array of situations.

The Superintendents As Executives (SAE) scholarship will be awarded to a student that not only excels in the turf management program but also shows an interest in a secondary concentration in business or a related field. The goal of this scholarship is to reward students who show the aptitude and ambition to grow in our industry in leadership positions beyond turf management. SCR wants to inspire future turf graduates to progress into positions as Directors of Agronomy, General Managers and Executives.

Alex Nagy- 2023 Superintendents As Executives(SAE) Scholarship Awardee

Hometown: Howell, MI

Scholastic: Schoolcraft College, 2-year MSU Turfgrass Management Program / GPA 3.33

Awards/Activities: Michigan State Turf Club Treasure, Student Member MTF, and GCSAA, GCSAA Scholarship Recipient

Work experience: Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, PA – Intern, Old Memorial Golf Club, Tampa, FL– Intern, Western Golf and Country Club –Redford, MI, Seasonal Grounds Crew Fox Creek Golf Course, Livonia, M –Seasonal Grounds Crew, Student Research Assistant for Dr. John Rogers

Goal: A personal goal of mine is to one day be the Director of Agronomy or the General Manager of a golf course.