Nine students from participating schools in the 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship have been named recipients of $1,000 scholarship awards from State Farm Insurance for their academic excellence at their respective institutions.

This year, students submitted a questionnaire in application for the State Farm/PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Scholarship Program. The committee considered the student's GPA and also awarded based on one per school represented in the group of applications submitted. A minimum GPA of 2.5 was required.

"We are proud to present each of these students with a scholarship for their academic excellence, said State Farm Representative Michael Matlock. "Each of these students has excelled at their respective institutions and we commend them for their effort on the golf course and in the classroom."

The 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship was contested May 9-11, at The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

The following students have received a $1,000 State Farm/PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Scholarship:

--Hector Arroyave, sophomore, South Carolina State University
--Mackenzie Mack, sophomore, Indiana State University
--Sean Lucas, freshman, Paine College
--Lauren Davis, junior, Hampton University
--Suhail Vally, junior, Southern University
--Melissa Uriegas, senior, University of Texas-Pan American
--Sara Young, junior, Florida State University
--Deztany Jackson, junior, Old Dominion College
--Juan Ronderos, junior, Bethune-Cookman College

About the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship
The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship originated from a meeting in November 1986 following the Jackson State University Golf Tournament. The late Dr. Herschel Cochrane, Dr. Joe D. Saunders of the National Negro Golf Association, Jackson State University Golf Coach Eddie Payton, Rose Harper-Elder of the Sports Management Institute and William (Bill) Dickey founder of the Bill Dickey Scholarship Association and the 1999 PGA Distinguished Service Award winner, are credited as the founders of this Championship.

The goal was to elevate the game of golf in minority colleges and universities by giving them a chance to compete in a championship because of being denied opportunities to compete in NCAA Collegiate Golf events. The first Championship was conducted in the spring of 1987 at Highland Park Golf Course in Cleveland, Ohio. Since 1998, The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., has been host to the Championship.

In 2006, The PGA of America was granted complete ownership and management of the championship by the National Minority Collegiate Golf Scholarship Fund.

In 1990, a Career Fair was conducted for the first time in conjunction with the Championship to provide corporate sponsors the opportunity to interview and recruit outstanding college students for future employment. As a result, the Career Fair has developed into an invaluable resource to assist students in gaining internships and full-time positions within the golf industry.

Also, State Farm Insurance has extended its sponsorship to support the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship through 2010. The State Farm sponsorship provides funding of a one-hour Championship highlight program on Golf Channel. Students from participating schools in the 2008 Championship can apply to receive scholarship awards from State Farm Insurance for their academic excellence at their respective institutions.

The PGA of America
Since 1916, The PGA of America's mission has been twofold: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.

By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the $76 billion golf industry.

By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere.

The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.