President's Golf Tourney Benefits Tech Students

SOCORRO, N.M., August 17, 2000 -- Six years after its inception and with over $100,000 raised for university students from its proceeds, an annual fundraising golf tournament held at New Mexico Tech is getting bigger and better every year.

This year, the Sixth Annual New Mexico Tech President's Golf Tournament will get underway at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 25 on the New Mexico Tech Golf Course.

All proceeds raised from the one-day tourney are used each year to benefit the Tech President's Assistance Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance to students at New Mexico Tech on a case-by-case basis.

Format for the golf tournament is four-person team scramble; and, this year, 32 teams have signed up weeks in advance to play in the fundraiser, swelling the field of the popular tourney and forcing tournament coordinators to turn away late-registering golfers.

The $150 per person participation donation provides each of the golfers with green fees, cart rentals, refreshments, added contests, freebies, prizes, and even a new pair of golf shoes.

In addition, immediately following the tournament, all participants--including golfers and sponsors--are treated to a reception and dinner hosted by New Mexico Tech President Daniel H. López at his campus residence.

"The actual big winners of the New Mexico Tech President's Golf Tournament are Tech students," López points out. "This tournament was established as a means to provide a viable scholarship fund to assist Tech students who are financially unable to continue or complete their education for whatever reason. . . . The fact that over 25 students so far have been helped by this program attests to its success."

The marked increase over the years in participation in the Tech President's Golf Tournament, by both players and sponsors, is also indicative of the fundraising tournament's success.

This year, for instance, five corporate sponsors have made major donations in excess of the tournament's "President's Amigo" sponsorship level, which is set at $1,200 per team.

Tournament officials have indicated that next year's fundraiser may include another flight just to accomodate the burgeoning influx of potential participants.