Purdue Campus Update – 9 Scholarships Awarded at our 2023 Indiana Green Expo & Turf Students Win Again
This year, at our annual Distinguished Service Award reception during IGE, the MRTF awarded scholarships to 9 students. Congrats to all these students and their families!
MRTF Research Golf Day Scholarship (presented by Syngenta) – Eli Ziliak
MRTF Don Fassnacht Scholarship – Hayden Wilson
MRTF Dan Weisenberger Scholarship – Emma Seward
W. H. Daniel Undergraduate Scholarship – Jacob Winger
MRTF Board of Directors General Scholarship – Jacob Tower
MRTF Board of Directors General Scholarship – Drew Coe
MRTF Board of Directors General Scholarship – Brody Piel
MRTF Board of Directors General Scholarship – Gavin Kenning
MRTF Board of Directors General Scholarship – Hayden Flick
SFMA Collegiate Quiz Bowl Success
Congratulations to Emma Seward, William “Billy” Myrehn, Jacob Winger, and Drew Coe for winning this year’s Sports Field Manager’s Association (SFMA) Collegiate Quiz Bowl Champs for 4-year Turf Science programs, making Purdue Turf Science students “back-to-back National SFMA Collegiate Challenge Champions.” The students were coached by Jada Powlen (Ph.D./Turf Science) and Dr. Cale Bigelow. The trophy was presented by James Bergdoll, immediate past-President of the SFMA and Purdue Turf Science graduate.
The SFMA Collegiate Quiz bowl examines the team’s knowledge on practical topics like turf/weed/insect identification, mathematical calculations related to sports field industry as well as topics like irrigation, and a practical case study on topics like what would be required to renovate a tired neglected sports field in a particular geographic climate. The Student Challenge was first held in 2004 and Purdue students have won the competition in 2005, 2011, 2012, 2022 and 2023.
Notable mention: this same team won 2nd place at the GCSAA 29th annual John Deere Turf Bowl, where 235 students, 63 teams and 27 schools competed in February.