The Southern Tennis Foundation congratulates tenSouthern college rising freshmen who will receive foundation scholarships totaling $4,000 over four years. This is the first year the foundation has awarded 10 scholarships, expanding on the six awarded in 2017.
The 2018 recipients are (name, hometown, college/university, proposed major):
Kelly Baker; Wilmington, NC; UNC-Wilmington; Elementary Education/Business Marketing
Drew Bobey; Daniel Island, SC; Johnson & Wales; Biology
Morris Clayton; New Albany, MS; Millsaps; Business
Robert Echols; Columbia, SC; Clemson; Engineering
Taylor Garcia; Mandeville, LA; Washington & Lee; Political Science
Kinsley Gardner; Chelsea, AL; North Greenville; Biology/Health Science
Caroline Garrido; Province, NC; Tufts; Biology & Political Science
Elizabeth Jones; Laurens, SC; Clemson; Packaging Science
Jack Ledbetter; Fort Smith, AR; William Jewel; Pre-Physical Therapy
Helena Angel Sanders; Memphis, TN; Tennessee; Nuclear Engineering
In photo above: left to right, bottom row: Morris Clayton, Elizabeth Jones, Kelly Baker, Kinsley Gardner, Taylor Garcia.
Top row: Caroline Garrido, Robert Echols, Helena Angel Sanders, Jack Ledbetter, Drew Bobey.
A very special thank you letter from Taylor Garcia:
Hi Ms. Jones,
I am very grateful for Southern Tennis Foundation’s generosity, which affords me the opportunity to attend such an amazing university as Washington and Lee. As a first–year, I have done well in my first set of college classes, earning an overall 3.5 GPA. I have gotten involved on campus as a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority in addition to being a major contributor of the women’s varsity tennis team. Being on the tennis team has afforded me numerous experiences I could only dream of. In the fall, I was one of three players selected to travel to the ITA Grass Court Championships at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. My doubles partner, who is also a first–year, and I placed second in our first college tournament ever––on grass!
Playing primarily at #1 singles and #1 doubles, I finished the regular season 12–8 in singles and 13–6 in doubles. Additionally, I clinched the ODAC Championship title for the team, earning All–Conference First Team honors for singles and doubles. As a team, we finished the season 17–8 overall, beating #30 Sewanee before falling to #1 Emory in the Sweet 16 of NCAA’s.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to represent the Generals in tournament and dual match play, and I have really enjoyed traveling with my teammates to different cities around Virginia as well as Newport and Atlanta. Also, I have learned through service to young players in the community that tennis really is a sport of a lifetime. Once a month, I volunteer to coach a kids’ tennis clinic to help others find their own love for the game. It is also such a great feeling having local children come out and support at our home matches. I’m grateful the Southern Tennis Foundation has allowed me to continue and grow my passion for the game of tennis by playing for my school and giving back in my school’s surrounding community. I am so excited to compete again this coming fall, and I cannot wait to be back on campus in a few short months!
Thank you again so much!
Sincerely,
Taylor Garcia ’22
Washington and Lee University