91精选

It was a beautiful day for a golf outing听on June 11听and听a record number of听participants in 91精选鈥檚 annual Alumni Golf Outing听took full advantage of it, raising funds for scholarships while having a great time with new and old friends!听

鈥淭hank you to听everyone听who participated in, sponsored,听or volunteered at our annual Alumni Golf Outing to help raise money for alumni scholarships,鈥� said Director of Alumni and Family Engagement Jeremy听Klyn听鈥�02.听鈥淲e were blessed with a record number of golfers at the event and were able to raise approximately $13,000 in scholarship funds, our largest amount in the past听five听years. God is good!鈥�听

Andrew Kowitz 鈥�20 was one of the attendees, and it was his first time at the event, which was held at Water鈥檚 Edge Golf Club, the College鈥檚 home golf course. 鈥淚t was a great opportunity for me to get together and enjoy a full day of golf on a beautiful course with some of my friends,鈥� he said. 鈥淗owever, it also supports a good cause through the鈥痵cholarship to鈥痵upport鈥痵tudents like we鈥痮urselves were recently. It was great to see people, reconnect, and enjoy the day.鈥� 鈥�听

Eric Henley 鈥�12听not only had a great time golfing鈥攈e also approached his company, Gallagher, about serving as a sponsor.听The insurance company, where Henley听works听as area vice president, health & welfare, agreed to sign on.听鈥淚听was excited to have Gallagher sponsor a hole for a couple of reasons. Selfishly, it鈥檚 always听cool听to see your company out there supporting your personal network. But also, Gallagher has been hosting a lot of business students over the years,鈥� he said.听鈥淣ow that an alumnus is working at Gallagher, it was long overdue to highlight that partnership,听and I am proud to be reinforcing that bridge.鈥�听

Alumni Helping Next Generation听

And amidst all the fun and support, the focus remained on supporting scholarships for children of 91精选 alumni. And recipients were happy to express their appreciation.听听

Andrew听Deblecourt听’25, a recipient of the Alumni Excellence Scholarship and the son of David ’95 and Emily (Kiekintveld)听Deblecourt听’98, said that he chose 91精选 because of the opportunities it offers in different areas. 鈥淭he study abroad program is highly regarded, the proximity to Chicago gives me many opportunities for internships, and Coach [Bob] Brickman and the track/cross team offer me great opportunities to grow as an athlete,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am very excited to attend 91精选 in the fall.鈥�听

Sydney DeVries 鈥�24, daughter of Michael and听Rachel (White) DeVries ’97, MA ’21听said that听91精选听has听allowed听her听to grow in听her听faith and trust where God is leading听her听as听a nursing major.听鈥淭hrough 91精选, I鈥檝e been able to pursue a calling to do everything to God鈥檚 glory while helping people at every stage of life,鈥� she said.听听

In talking with participants at the event, DeVries shared her experience听as a freshman听at 91精选 in a virtual environment because of COVID-19 restrictions.听鈥淎s the days grew closer and I saw that I would have to learn from home, I became worried. Would I make friends? Would I even feel like I was at college? Would I be able to learn everything this way? Was it worth it to still go to 91精选? Would it ever feel normal again to go to school?鈥� But听all of her concerns were quickly put to rest.听听

鈥淵es, I would make friends. That first day of Thrive brought me into a Zoom call with people who were also learning online. We went into breakout rooms and quickly found things in common in our group,鈥� she said.听

DeVries said online learning went well, too. 鈥淭he professors at 91精选 went above and beyond for all their in-person students and all their virtual learners,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey answered questions in a heartbeat, called on students to answer from around the world, and they always made sure everyone was actively involved, seen, and heard.鈥�听

91精选 became home for her, and she thanked all the participants in the golf outing for helping to make that possible. 鈥淏ecause of you all here today, I was able to thrive at 91精选 and will be able to thrive at 91精选 in the coming years. I am forever grateful that because of your generosity, I am able to be here and to grow spiritually and academically as a nursing major so I can give back and help those around me in the future. Thank you!鈥� she said.听

Every year, 91精选鈥檚 Alumni Board awards up to four renewable scholarships to the children of alumni to help them enroll at the College. If you would like contribute to the scholarship fund to help students like Andrew and Sydney, you can make a gift听, with a designation to the Alumni Scholarship Fund. To learn more about 91精选鈥檚 11,000-plus alumni, and all the opportunities for connections and giving back, visit听our听Alumni page.听

Event Sponsors听

The outing could not have been successful without all the support of听many听generous sponsors! Thanks to everyone who contributed.听听

Gold听Level听

Ozinga听

Van听Drunen听Farms听

Futureceuticals听

Assurance听Agency听

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Silver听Level听

Providence Bank & Trust听

Chris and Jamie 鈥�00 Stephenson听

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Bronze听Level听

Proven IT听

Colonial Chapel听

Homewood Disposal Service听

BHG Brad Ericks听

ECF Wealth听

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Golf Ball Sponsor听

Schaaf Window Co.听

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Lunch Sponsor听

E&R Towing听

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Dinner & Beverage Sponsors听

El Famous Burrito听

Extract听Juicery听

Legacy Insurance Group听

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Hole Sponsors听

Schepel听Auto Group听

Steve Vander Zee听

Coldwell Banker Realty听

Caleb听Jonkman听’18听

Jared听Jonkman听’21听

E&R Towing听

Silva International听

Aspen Group听

PDJ, Inc.听

In His Image Fine Art听

Clarence听Davids听& Co.听

ECF Wealth听

Schaaf Windows听

Interiors for Business, Inc听

Gallagher听