PANAMA CITY BEACH − Dr. Sean Preston says he believes it’s crucial for more people to have access to college.
As executive director of the Gulf Coast State College Foundation, Preston said the nonprofit organization is gearing up to host its 20th annual golf tournament on Dec. 6 at Shark’s Tooth Golf Course at Watersound Club. Proceeds from the tournament will help fund scholarships at Gulf Coast State College for local high school students.
“What I love about our tournament is it’s a competitive event … but while it’s competitive, we’re all in agreement that (it’s for) a worthy cause,” Preston said. “At the end of the day, we put our golf clubs down, we have lunch and we reflect on the fact that we helped raise money to allow local students to go to college.”
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He noted the tournament is a four-person scramble, meaning teams of four will compete together and play their best ball each shot. It will feature 30 teams, and general registration is $1,800 per team. All slots were sold out as of Friday.
The top two sponsors of the event are the St. Joe Foundation and Bill Cramer Chevrolet Buick GMC.
A press release from the foundation notes registration for the tournament will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three teams, and the event will be followed by a lunch provided by the foundation.
According to Preston, the foundation was created in 1967 and supports the college located at 5230 U.S. 98 in Panama City. It raises money to fund a variety of things at the institute, including scholarships, new courses and beautification projects.
It’s main purpose is to provide scholarships, of which it offers two types. One is open to everyone, and the other focuses on high school graduates from Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties looking to attend college for the first time.
There are about 750 scholarships offered by the organization each year through the first category. They are funded by donors who contribute $20,000 to the organization. The interest from that money then indefinitely pays for the specific scholarship. They cover all tuition fees.
The second category of scholarships, dubbed the Gulf Coast Guarantee, provides $700 per semester to about 550 select local students each year. This funds approximately 60% of their tuition. The Dec. 6 golf tournament will raise money for this type of scholarship. Preston said he expects for it to generate about $80,000.
“The local community is very invested in the futures of our high school graduates,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have a school of the quality of Gulf Coast State College right here in Panama City. … The local community is responding to that by donating so much money for scholarships.
“We’re making it as easy as possible for local high school graduates to go to college, earn an education, enrich their lives and hopefully do that with no student loan debt.”
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