DALLAS, Texas – Michigan State University student Thomas Jacobs has been selected as the 2014 Vickers Scholarship winner among 14 students earning 2013-14 scholarships from the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association. Jacobs will receive a $7,500 scholarship as he completes his golf turf grass education in December 2014. He also receives a bronze sculpture of Old Tom Morris and other gifts from the TMGA.
“It’s such an honor to win an award from an organization that has been doing this as long as they have and helped so many people.” Jacobs has a 3.75 GPA in Michigan State’s highly regarded turf program.
He has worked on the maintenance staffs at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island where the long work weeks assisted him in learning the value of structured program and at Bel Air CC in Los Angeles where he has been offered a full time position. Thomas will complete his undergraduate work this upcoming summer after already completing a Turf Management Certificate from Michigan State.
Jacobs is an avid player and passionate about the game which lead him to his pursuit of a career in turf management. “Golf is truly the greatest game,” according to Jacobs, who has played since he was four.
“The golf course maintenance industry is always evolving and always changing,” Jacobs said. “I feel that if you’re going to evolve and change with the industry education is crucial. You have to stay up on the new technologies, the new studies and the new research because if you don’t, you’re going to be a step behind. Without my education I wouldn’t be able to advance my career.”
