Livingstone College Graduate Telvin Walker Excels as First Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA Works Fellow
GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 27, 2019)—PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) foundation of the PGA of America, is honoring the legacy of Sara “Sunny” Harris Hutchinson by naming the PGA REACH Carolinas PGA WORKS Fellowship, The Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellowship.
The Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellowship will go on in perpetuity in the Carolinas PGA Section and will continue to help evolve the changing demographic composition of the golf industry workforce, so that it reflects the demographic composition of modern-day America.
A devoted mother, wife, sister and daughter, as well as a graduate of Charlotte Latin and Davidson College, Sara went by her popular nickname of “Sunny.” She was a project interior designer and commercial broker at Lincoln Harris, the firm started by her father, Charlotte real estate developer and Quail Hollow Club President Johnny Harris. Sunny had a true passion for the game of golf and was largely involved in the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club, as well as the Wells Fargo Championship. She passed away suddenly in February, at the age of 43. The Fellowship serves as a lasting tribute to her loving memory, as well as her admiration for the game of golf.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship is a national PGA REACH program executed locally within PGA Section offices. With the launch of the PGA WORKS Fellowship, PGA REACH has taken a leadership role in the efforts to diversify the workforce in the golf industry, in order to assist in establishing a deep bench of diverse talent to ascend into key employment positions in the game and business of golf.
Telvin Walker was named the first Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA Works Fellow. Walker is native of Washington, D.C., and a 2017 graduate of Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. He started his 15 month fellowship last May, after spending a year working at the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. Walker has spent the past season administering PGA Junior League, Drive, Chip & Putt Qualifiers and therapeutic and adaptive golf clinics for veterans participating in PGA H.O.P.E. (Helping our Patriots Everywhere) Chapters in the Carolinas.
The fellowship also incorporates an opportunity for Walker to engage with key officials and stakeholders during the Wells Fargo Championship and Governor’s Cup at the esteemed Quail Hollow Club.
“Being only 10 months into my Fellowship, I still am learning more and more every single day! The staff here at the Carolinas Section Office has been nothing but helpful and supportive. I have taken a strong liking to our PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation. The game of golf has given so much value and purpose to my life, and I am very fortunate to be in a position where I am introducing the game to a multitude of different people. The Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellowship is the best thing that could have ever happened to me!”
The PGA WORKS Fellowship is intended to engage a diverse group of participants. Collectively, they represent a wide array of demographics—including various genders, ages, races/colors, national origin/ancestries, sexual orientation, disabilities and Veterans status—although all are welcome to apply.
Including the launch of the Sunny Harris Hutchison PGA WORKS Fellowship in the Carolinas PGA Section, the PGA WORKS Fellowship will host 10 fellows across the country this year in the Connecticut, Gateway, Michigan, Middle Atlantic, Metropolitan, New Jersey, Northern Ohio, Southern Ohio and South Florida PGA Sections. The long-term goal of the program is to have fellows in all 41 PGA Sections nationwide.
Sunny Harris Hutchinson PGA WORKS Fellowship participants receive a salary, benefits, and housing during their time in the program. PGA REACH Carolinas has a goal of raising $300,000 to cover ongoing program expenses for the next 10 years.
About PGA REACH
PGA REACH is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to positively impact the lives of youth, military and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf. For more information on PGA REACH, visit pgareach.org.
About PGA REACH Carolinas
PGA REACH Carolinas is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation and the philanthropic arm of the Carolinas PGA Section, the largest of the 41 Sections in the PGA of America. Our 2,000 PGA Professionals across North and South Carolina are committed to serving our communities and growing the game of golf through our three pillars: Youth, Military, and Diversity & Inclusion.
About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of PGA Professionals who daily work to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGA on Twitter, and find us on Facebook.