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MVGA Fellowship Program
MVGA_FellowsCreating a spark is sometimes all it takes for golf to light a flame inside a newcomer. For some the spark is that first pure shot, for others it’s hearing the ball rattle in the cup for that first par or birdie.

For Gabo Rubibi, Emmy Nshimiymana, Eve Tuyishime, and Patrick Rukundo the opportunity to play golf came in the form of Wilberforce University’s new golf program that Will Ware is building. These four men came from Rwanda as refugees and have each made a home in Dayton. Their exceptional academics earned them entrance to Wilberforce, and a conversation with the golf coach Will Ware brought them into the game.

The MVGA wanted to provide Gabo, Emmy, Eve, and Patrick with more opportunities to learn about the game, so a new fellowship program was formed this past May. Steve Jurick, MVGA’s Executive Director said they wanted their The Youth on Course program “to become more diverse in what it looked like and supported.” The new Fellows program will not just teach Gabo, Emmy, Eve, and Patrick how to advance their golf balls forward; they’ll spend time helping with local events, working with golf course maintenance teams, and caddying. Steve hopes that Gabo, Emmy, Eve, and Patrick might even be inspired to apply for the USGA’s Boatwright Internship, too.

The inspiration for creating this entry point for new golfers of color comes from two titans of accessible golf in Ohio: Craig Kirby and Rene Powell. Powell is a lifetime golfer, connecting with the game through her father, Bill Powell, who built Clearview Golf Club in 1948 so everyone had access to golf. Powell’s success in the game is extraordinary, sending her all over the world and earning her incredible credentials. She’s a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and even has a residence hall at the University of St. Andrews named after her. Her life’s journey brought her back to Clearview where she is now the club’s manager’ she runs a rehabilitation program for female veterans called Clearview HOPE, using golf as recreation and therapy for the female veterans of northern Ohio.

Craig Kirby is also a champion of lighting sparks inside new golfers, especially minorities interested in the game. His “Golf. My Future. My Game” is another Ohio based program meant to help people get into golf who might not think they belong. Kirby’s aim is to show new golfers that the game has so many different opportunities within it. “Golf is more than a golf ball,” he believes. The entry points into the game don’t have to be via playing the game. Golf needs thinkers and growers and scientists to maintain courses, build and design courses, and push the game into the future.

Golf needs mirrors for its next generation of golfers. The MVGA Fellow Program was built to help Gabo, Emmy, Eve, and Patrick learn about the game and offer them opportunities to further their knowledge. However, it was also built so they would carry their own golfing torch, lighting sparks along the way. This past month, the four Fellows participated in a 4-man scramble event. The main purpose of the round was to help continue to learn the ropes and the rhythm of the game as they prepare to compete next year for Wilberforce. However, the power of their presence cannot be lost. They will be a mirror for minority children attending the event, a way of seeing that golf can provide access to competition, education, and mentorship.

The Fellows Program is just beginning and Steve looks forward to it growing over the years and creating more and more sparks throughout the Miami Valley that could spread far and wide.

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