American Legion helps local baseball talent attend USCB October 25, 2011 Beaufort and Bluffton, SC- American Legion Posts 9 and 207 from Beaufort donated a $1,000 scholarship to local USCB baseball player, Weldon Smith who played at Battery Creek High School. Present for the donation were Scott Mullen, the Beaufort High School Baseball Coach, Rich Delmore (Adjutant, American Legion Post 9), Artie Heape (American Legion Commander, Post 9), George E. Miller (Athletic Director, American Legion Post 9), and Brian Lewallyn, USCB Assistant Baseball Coach. The local American Legion provides a scholarship each year to a baseball player at USCB who is from Beaufort County to help bridge the gap between local baseball talent in Beaufort County with the Sandsharks at USCB. According to Miller, “The local American Legion baseball teams are supported by and dependent upon local businesses and individuals. As such, we want to help local ballplayers get a solid four year college education right here, at home.” Smith, who received the scholarship, stated “I am so thankful to the American Legion and the USCB baseball coaches for their amazing support.” According to Head Baseball Coach, Rick Sofield, “There hasn’t been any more deserving player in our program to receive an award than Weldon. He is one of finest individuals I have been associated with at any level. I’m proud to know him.” Such scholarships also motivate student Athletes to remain at USCB for their entire 4 years of baccalaureate education. According to Athletics Director, Ty Rietkovich, “Many local people still view us as a short-term campus, with the intent of transferring elsewhere after two years. But, more and more our athletes are viewing USCB as destination. This year we will be graduating our biggest class of student athletes to date. And there’s more to come.”
About The American Legion The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans. For more information, please see http://www.legion.org/about. About USCB Located in the heart of the Carolina Sea Islands, the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system serving the southeast coast of Georgia and South Carolina. USCB has been the fastest growing baccalaureate institution in the USC system since becoming a four year university in 2002.The University has two campuses which serve a diverse student body of more than 1750 students. The Historic Beaufort campus, located on Beaufort’s downtown waterfront, houses an innovative baccalaureate studio arts program in close proximity to Beaufort’s many art galleries. The Hilton Head Gateway campus in Bluffton, S.C., offers cutting-edge Computational Science and Nursing laboratories and is the home to Sand Shark athletics. USCB offers students an exceptional place to learn and live in an environment focused on growth, preservation and opportunity. For more information about the University of South Carolina Beaufort, please visit www.uscb.edu online or call the university’s Office of Public Information at 843-2088030.