Office of Public Relations:                                           For more information, contact: Stephen E. Snyder

(229) 931-2028                                                                         (229) 931-2037 ssnyder@canes.gsw.edu

(229) 931-2072 fax

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Oct. 15, 2009

State’s first Professional Golf Management

Program coming to GSW in 2010

            AMERICUS—Georgia’s first Professional Golf Management Program will begin at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) in Fall 2010. The announcement was made official today following final approval at yesterday’s GSW Academic Affairs Committee.

            “The popularity of golf is increasing rapidly in countries around the world,” said GSW President Kendall A. Blanchard, Ph.D. “As a result, opportunities for golf professionals are increasing.  Golfing is an important part of Georgia’s history and its economy.  Our new PGM program can be viewed as an important part of that legacy and an element of our curriculum that gives the University a special distinction among the many universities in the state.”

            The program has been in the works for over five years. Georgia Southwestern hired Shaun Murie as program director in 2007. Since that time he has worked diligently putting together a plan.

            "Every detail of the Professional Golf Management Program at GSW has been carefully thought out in order to offer the best experience to students enrolled,” said Murie. “I don't know of any other PGM program around the country that is flexible enough to cater to traditional college students, non-traditional college students, distance-learning students, and international students simultaneously.  I am particularly excited about serving the non-traditional groups and those already in the industry that may be looking to further their education while increasing their knowledge of the golf business."

            The PGM program is housed in the internationally accredited GSW School of Business Administration, and graduates will earn a BBA in management with a concentration in professional golf management. In a little over four years, students enrolled in the PGM program will complete all of their business major requirements, 16 months of internship, and receive the necessary knowledge and skill set in order to pursue a successful career in the golf industry. This unique program will prepare students to manage all aspects of a golf course, from course management to club professional.    

Georgia Southwestern is one of the few colleges or universities in Georgia that owns and operates its own 18-hole golf course. Located directly adjacent to campus, Southwestern’s golf course was named in honor of one the University’s most prestigious alumni, former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell. In conjunction with a September 2008 naming ceremony honoring Bell, Georgia Southwestern raised nearly $500,000 to start a scholarship fund for students entering the program.

            The School of Business Administration and the Admissions Department are actively recruiting potential students. For additional information call GSW Admissions at (800) 338-0082.

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