News

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation (USTA T&EF), the philanthropic and charitable entity of the United States Tennis Association, today announced that it will grant 54 high school students a variety of college scholarships totaling $287,000 this spring.

An objective of the USTA T&EF is to encourage children to pursue their goals and highest dreams by succeeding in school and becoming responsible citizens. Each year, the USTA T&EF awards scholarships to deserving youth who have participated in USTA and other organized youth tennis programs, and have demonstrated a financial need for college matriculation.

“By supporting young people we are investing in America’s future,” said Karen Martin Eliezer, Executive Director of the USTA Tennis and Education Foundation. “With the help of these scholarships, it is our hope that the students will continue to pursue their goals and act as stewards of their communities as they move on to higher education and throughout their lives.”

The following scholarships will be granted to high school seniors this spring:

Marian Wood Baird Scholarship Award (one $15,000 award)

Bestowed upon one high school senior who has excelled academically, demonstrated achievements in leadership, and participated extensively in an organized community tennis program, the Marian Wood Baird Scholarship is named in honor of the late Marian Wood Baird, who had been recognized by the USTA for over 40 years of volunteer service. The 2008 recipient is West Aurora High School senior Alison Krantz, of Sugar Grove, IL.

Dwight Mosley Scholarship Award (one female and male receive $10,000 award)

The Dwight Mosley Scholarship is presented to two USTA ranked high school seniors of ethnically diverse heritages who have excelled academically and participated extensively in an organized community tennis program. This scholarship was named in memory of Dwight A. Mosley, the first African American elected to the USTA Board of Directors. It was created with input from the USTA Multicultural Participation Committee and supports the Level One Priority of Diversity within the USTA. The 2008 recipients are; Heritage High School senior Tonique Merrell, of Newport News, VA, and Barron Collier High School senior Grace Johnson of Naples, FL.

Dwight F. Davis Memorial Scholarship (one female and one male receive $7,500 award)

The Dwight F. Davis Memorial Scholarship is granted to two high school seniors who have performed with distinction, and actively participated in extracurricular activities, community service, and an organized tennis program. Dwight Filley Davis began playing tennis at the age of 15 in 1894. In 1900, the year he graduated from college, Davis purchased a 217-troy ounce silver bowl as a prize for an international lawn tennis competition. This was the birth of the Davis Cup. Davis became president of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association in 1923. The 2008 recipients are; Medical Lake High School senior Max Nelson, of Cheney, WA and Holliston High School senior Marissa Kelley, of West Harwich, MA.

Eve Kraft Education & College Scholarship (one female and male receive $2,500 award)

The Eve Kraft Education & College Scholarship is bestowed upon two high school seniors, one male and one female, who have excelled academically, demonstrated community service, played tennis in an organized program and who reside in an economically disadvantaged community. This scholarship is named in memory of Eve Kraft of Princeton, NJ, a tennis pioneer who introduced thousands of young people to the game of tennis, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The 2008 recipients are; South High School senior Nelson Iginla of Minneapolis, MN, and Augusta Prepatory Day School senior Chelsea Whitehurst, of Aiken, SC.

USTA Tennis & Education USTA T&EF College Textbook Scholarship (10 Students to receive $1,000)

The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation has established a college textbook scholarship which provides a one-time award to assist students in purchasing textbooks or supplies.

USTA Tennis & Education Foundation College Education Scholarship (37 students to each receive $6,000 award)

The USTA T&EF awards college education scholarships annually to high school seniors who have excelled academically, demonstrated community service and participated in an organized tennis program.

USTA Tennis & Education Foundation

Established in 1994, the USTA Tennis & Education Foundation promotes – through tennis – educational excellence, good citizenship and self-improvement to at-risk and other special needs youth. The Foundation awards hundreds of scholarships to American youth, and supports new initiatives that reach out to inner-city youth. It also supports community tennis programs that link tennis with education to provide positive role models, academic assistance, and life skills for the prevention of substance abuse, violence and school-dropouts. The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation (USTA T&EF), is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life among our nation’s youth from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Olympus US Open Series linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns the 94 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. A not-for-profit organization with more than 720,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com.