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Scholar Athlete Program Creates Virtuous Cycle Successful students strengthen community By Tony Roberts and the MAF Communications Team
For more than 50 years, the MAC Scholar Athlete program has given students access to MAC’s world-class facilities. As the program has grown and evolved, it’s also offered them the chance to be part of – and help strengthen – a community. The Scholar Athlete program was created in 1971, and currently provides a two-year MAC membership plus a Multnomah Athletic Foundation (MAF) scholarship to students at 30 high schools across the region. On the surface, the benefits are obvious. Participants get a great place to work out, recover, meet people, and even check out a Thorns or Timbers game. But for some scholar athletes, it turns into a lifelong journey. Paralympian Aaron Paulson started as a Scholar Athlete before using the club for training. He’s now an active member who takes part in the club’s outdoor programs. Brennan and Cameron Scarlett were Scholar Athletes who went on to play PAC-12 football while returning to the club off-season. A book drive for their organization, The Big Yard Foundation, was recently hosted with MAF and MAC.
In addition to being active members, several MAC Scholar Athlete alumni joined the review teams in selecting the newest cohort. Anna Friedhoff competed at collegiate golf while attending Gonzaga University in Spokane. After law school, she returned to practice in Portland and recently added her new husband to the membership. Alyssa Fuji, a collegiate swimmer at UC Berkeley, continued her membership through school. She is an audit professional with KPMG in Portland. “That’s the beauty of the Scholar Athlete program. It helps these student athletes, and it makes the club a better place and a stronger community. When promising young people can connect with the MAC and its members, everyone stands to benefit, and in many cases, lifelong connections are born,” shared Spencer Raymond, Scholar Athlete alumni and current MAC member. This month, the club and MAF welcome the 2022 class of MAC Scholar Athletes. Everyone is looking forward to seeing them around the club over the next two years and, hopefully, far into the future. JULY 2022
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