2021 Promising Scholars Golf Classic Tees Off for $1M Endowment Goal
Annual fundraiser boosts Edward A. Bouchet scholarship.
After 34 years of supporting the educational success of local high-achieving Black students, The Edward A. Bouchet scholarship continues to inspire generosity. The success of the annual fundraiser, the Beta Tau Boulé Promising Scholars Golf Classic, held Sept. 20 at the Race Brook Country Club in Orange, is allowing the scholarship to fund the 2021 awards to their full amounts. It is also inspiring supporters to reach a $1 Million goal for the the scholarship's endowment, The Promising Scholars Fund.
"It was extremely successful on the revenue side, one of the highest we’ve done, in spite of the pandemic," said Yves Joseph, chair of the golf classic.
The annual golf classic is the primary fundraiser for the scholarship. The 2021 event attracted participation from 90 golfers and a larger crowd for the dinner and auction. The corporate sponsor was Sullivan Cotter.
The Bouchet scholarship was started in 1987 by the Beta Tau Boulé, the New Haven chapter of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, the oldest continuous Black Greek-letter fraternity in the country. It has made 147 awards totaling more than $500,000.
The Bouchet scholarship is awarded to outstanding Black students during an annual luncheon and medal ceremony. Awards are typically $6,000 per year and renewed for up to four years. Eleven scholars received awards in 2021.
In addition to financial support, students receive mentoring and connections to successful Black professionals in Connecticut and beyond.
"A big thing for us is being a part of the academic journey of the students, to really help them take that next level and achieve in college," said Joseph.
Past award winner James Brockington, a keynote speaker for the 2021 golf event, shared his inspiring story about how the scholarship helped him along the journey to success as the co-founder of the highly successful Tia Russell Dance Studio.
Photos from 2021 Promising Scholars Golf Classic
All photos credit: Coral Ortiz
