June 05, 2012

Golf scramble will support aviation students

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Proceeds from a golf tournament next week will help fund scholarships for students in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s nationally recognized aviation programs.

The fifth annual SIU Carbondale Aviation Scholarship Golf Scramble is Monday, June 11, at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills in suburban Chicago.

Scramble proceeds go to fund scholarships for students in the University’s aviation flight, aviation management and aviation technologies programs.  The first four scrambles combined raised approximately $111,000 in scholarship funds, said David A. NewMyer, chair of the Department of Aviation Management and Flight.

A portion of the proceeds will also be used to purchase equipment for the nearly 230,000-square-foot Transportation Education Center that will house the aviation and automotive programs at Southern Illinois Airport.  Work continues on the project that should be finished this summer.

“The funds raised by this golf scramble add an important funding source for students in SIU aviation programs by creating new aviation scholarships, by growing the amounts to be awarded to students at the fall ‘Aviation in the Future’ banquet held in October, and by enhancing existing aviation scholarship endowments at the SIU Foundation.  With students facing increasing costs, these scholarships will help SIU Aviation retain students in its programs,” NewMyer said.

Tournament sponsors include Priester Aviation, AAR Corp., Chartis Aerospace Insurance Services, Inc., SAI Valuations, Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines, and Ray and Jan Plote.

The aviation programs are part of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts.

The scramble will include a live auction that features several items, including a catered cruise for 10 in a private boat, an aerial tour of Southern Illinois plus dinner and a two-night stay at Makanda Inn, and an aerial tour of the Chicago lakefront plus dinner.

Golf scramble costs are $155 per golfer and $585 for a pre-registered team of four.  The cost includes lunch, dinner, golf, a golf cart and a T-shirt.  Event sponsorships from $1,000 to $3,000 are available, and hole sponsorships are available for $200 apiece.  A dinner and live auction-only options for non-golfers is available at $65 per person.

Sponsorship deadline is Friday, June 8, at noon.  The entry deadline is the day of the event, although pre-registration is recommended to assist in arranging foursomes, NewMyer said.  Check-in time is 10:30 a.m. to noon, with lunch at 11 a.m. and the shotgun start at noon. For more information on registration or sponsorships, contact NewMyer at 618/453-8898 or by email at dnewmyer@aviation.siu.edu.  Online registration and additional event information is also available at www.aviation.siu.edu.