Noblesville Native Earns Prestigious PGA Fellowship
PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, has announced the 2022 class for the PGA WORKS Fellowship. Among the 22 fellows named this year is Haleigh Gray of Noblesville. She attended the University of Northwestern Ohio and will work with the Northern Ohio PGA Section.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship, established in 2017, provides the opportunity for a one-year, paid immersion in a PGA Section’s Foundation operations. PGA Sections oversee the 41 regions of the PGA of America across the United States, and help create the network of communication and community for PGA Professionals and amateur golfers nationwide.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship is one of the most valuable entry-level opportunities for individuals from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds to gain experience in all facets of the golf industry. The Fellowship gives recent college and university graduates a first-hand look at everything that a career in the golf industry can provide.
The primary responsibilities of this year’s class of 22 PGA WORKS Fellows are to support and execute philanthropic initiatives for the charitable foundations of their respective PGA Sections. This includes assisting with marketing, communications and fundraising activities, as well as PGA HOPE programming for Veterans and junior golf initiatives, such as PGA Jr. League and Drive, Chip & Putt.
“The PGA WORKS Fellows are an important part of the future of the PGA of America and the golf industry,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “PGA WORKS offers fellowships, scholarships and career-exploration events that seek out and engage talent from across the country to pursue key employment opportunities. These positions present these 22 Fellows with an invaluable path to discover everything that a career in golf can bring.”
As part of PGA WORKS’ mission, the Fellows are encouraged to continue their careers in golf following their fellowships. Accordingly, Fellows receive direct access to both PGA Career Consultants and personal mentors to help them achieve their career goals.
Past Fellows have gone on to work for GOLFTEC, The Honda Classic, Westchester Country Club, the First Tee and The Club at the Strand, among other golf companies and organizations. Additionally, several Fellows have worked full-time in PGA Section Offices across the country, as well as for universities and sports teams. Others have continued their education in graduate school.
Among this year’s 22 Fellows is Howard University graduate Rosa Jones, who received the first-ever PGA WORKS Fellowship in collaboration with the Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour. Established in 2010, the APGA Tour is a non-profit organization with the mission to prepare African Americans and other minority golfers to compete and win at the highest level of professional golf, both on Tour and in the golf industry.
2022 Class of PGA WORKS Fellows
Karena Ballard
Chesapeake, Va.
George Mason University
Gateway PGA Section
Harrison Bruns
Minneapolis
Northern State University/Oklahoma State University
South Central PGA Section
Davyon Collins
Houston
Dallas Baptist University
Colorado PGA Section
Ximena Davila
San Antonio
University of Texas
Southern Texas PGA Section
Amelia DeCeanne
Peoria, Ill.
Saint Louis University
Wisconsin PGA Section
Jacob Fagan
Sacramento, Calif.
University of Oregon
Northern California PGA Section
Shannon Gilbert
Easton, Conn.
Endicott College
Metropolitan PGA Section
Madi Guilmette
Howell, Mich.
Central Michigan University
Michigan PGA Section
Destany Hall
Lantana, Texas
Texas Southern University
Paul Millsap PGA WORKS Fellowship
Georgia PGA Section
Mia Hayasaki
Champaign, Ill.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellowship
Carolinas PGA Section
Cristina Hidalgo
San Luis Potosí, Mexico
University of Northwestern Ohio
Southern Ohio PGA Section
Natalie Holl
Hershey, Penn.
Penn State University
Middle Atlantic PGA Section
Taylor Hunter
Buffalo, N.Y.
SUNY Cortland
Western New York PGA Section
Rosa Jones
Mastic, N.Y.
Franklin Pierce University/Howard University
Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) TOUR
Alivia Mattiace
Jacksonville, Fla.
Oglethorpe University
Northern Florida PGA Section
Erin Martin
Philadelphia
Widener University
Philadelphia PGA Section
James Thomas (JT) Moore
Augusta, Ga.
Saint Augustine’s University
South Florida PGA Section
Hannah Randolph
San Antonio, Texas
Texas Tech University
Kentucky PGA Section
Torry Rees
Corinth, Miss.
Louisiana State University
Northern Texas PGA Section
Baylee Russell
Monrovia, Ind.
Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis
Indiana PGA Section
Bryce Waker
Old Bridge, N.J.
Rowan University
New Jersey PGA Section
For more information on PGA REACH, visit PGAREACH.org.
About PGA WORKS:
PGA WORKS is a strategic initiative designed to diversify the golf industry’s workforce. Funded as one of the pillars of PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, PGA WORKS leverages fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events, and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship to inspire and engage talent from all backgrounds to pursue key employment positions across the golf industry. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org.
About PGA REACH:
PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to Impact Lives Through Golf. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org.
About the PGA of America:
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of nearly 28,000 PGA Professionals who work daily to grow interest and inclusion in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.com.