Hickory, N.C.—Members of Catawba Valley Community College’s Guy Hollar Memorial Golf Tournament Committee recently presented scholarships to two Turfgrass Management students totaling $5,000.
Austin Redden and John Robinson were presented scholarships of $2,500 each to help them complete their education at Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory, N.C.).
“For every Turfgrass Management graduate CVCC produces, we get calls from three times as many professional and recreational sports fields looking for candidates,” said Gary Muller, Dean of the School of Business, Industry & Technology.
Redden grew up in Mills River, N.C., and is a graduate of Hendersonville High in Hendersonville, N.C. He played high school baseball and was named All Conference. During his freshman year playing baseball for the CVCC Red Hawks, he experienced a shoulder injury and devoted himself fully to his studies in turf management.
He has worked at Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, N.C., Catawba Country Club in Hickory, N.C., and interned at Super Sod turf farms in Mills River, N.C.
Redden plans on transferring to a four-year university next fall to obtain his bachelor’s degree in turf management.
Robinson is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing/management and information systems. After devoting the past 30 years to a successful career in manufacturing management, he elected to pursue a new career in turf management by attending CVCC.
He interned at Ole Still Golf Course located in Hickory, N.C.
Proceeds from the 2017 Guy Hollar Memorial Golf Tournament held at Rock Barn Golf Club in Conover, N.C., funded the scholarships. The annual tournament is organized and conducted entirely by CVCC alumni.
Hollar was among the first graduates in 1972 of (then) Catawba Valley Technical Institute’s Recreational Grounds Management degree and served as Rock Barn’s golf course director of grounds for many years. Hollar fought a courageous battle against leukemia before his death in 2008.
For more information about the 2018 Guy Hollar Memorial Golf Tournament set for April 24 at Rock Barn Country Club, Conover, NC, contact Gerry Millholen, tournament chair and CVCC Turf Alumnus,boats531@gmail.com, 828-455-2284, or Mary Reynolds, CVCC Alumni Affairs Director, 828-327-7000, ext. 4387,mreynolds@cvcc.edu.