The Bay College Foundation sign outside of the Escanaba Country Club for the Swing for Scholarships golf outing. Photo by Taylor Haelterman
Part of the Bay College Foundation’s mission is to manage “financial gifts to support educational advancement, opportunities and student success,” according to the Bay College website. Becca Wagner is a Bay College student who has been directly impacted by that mission through the Swing for Scholarships golf outing. She is a recipient of the Delta County Golf Scholarship, which is funded by Swing for Scholarships. Wagner will graduate from Bay College in December with an associate’s degree in business administration, and said she plans to transfer to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay for her bachelor’s degree.
Wagner said she is extremely grateful to have received the scholarship funds throughout her time at the college as they have helped her tremendously.
“With getting the scholarship help it saves me more money that I can put towards my bachelor’s degree,” she said. “And it helps because I can focus more on my studies, and I won’t have to work as much to try and pay for it.”
This year the 29th annual Bay College Swing for Scholarships golf outing drew 145 golfers to the Escanaba Country Club on July 18.
A golf team on the green during the Swing for Scholarships golf outing. Photo by Taylor Haelterman
The event is put on by the Bay College Foundation to raise money for the Delta County Golf Scholarships. The money raised comes from golfer registration fees, sponsors, course games and auctions. All of the revenue from the fundraiser goes towards the scholarships, said Kim Carne.
Carne is the vice president of college advancement for the Bay College Foundation, and has been involved with Swing for Scholarships for 10 years.
“You just have to be from Delta County to be eligible for (the scholarship),” she said. “Each scholarship is typically about $1,500. And, considering the tuition at Bay College is somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000 a year, depending on what program, it’s a nice scholarship.”
The Swing for Scholarships event has funded around 288 scholarships since it began, and it is an endowed scholarship that grows in perpetuity, said Carne.
“One of the largest barriers to starting college, and staying in college, is financial barriers,” she said. “So, we try to help relieve financial barriers with scholarships for those students that qualify. We feel like it’s an awesome opportunity that we can give back to the community, and help students get an education which also brings up the whole community.”
Golfers preparing to tee off behind signs listing sponsors during the Swing for Scholarships golf outing. Photo by Taylor Haelterman
The Swing for Scholarships golf event is in team scramble format. Each person on the team tees-off, then the whole team moves up to the best ball and swings again from there. Included in the outing are 18 holes of golf, six course contests such as longest putt or drive, a gourmet meal, a silent auction and live auction, said Carne. There are separate groups of teams, or flights, that will each finish with three placing teams.
Kurt Strasler attended the Swing for Scholarships golf outing as a member of Team Wendy’s. He and his three teammates are Bay College alumni who attended the event to get together as friends, and support the college.
“I actually do play in a lot of golf events; this one’s classy,” Strasler said. “Compared to other golf events that I’ve been in, it’s top notch.”
Those interested in learning more about the Bay College Foundation and the scholarships offered can visit the Bay College Website.