McLendon Minority
Leadership Initiative

THE JOHN SHIPPEN Achievement Scholarship

THE JOHN SHIPPEN Achievement Scholarship was created in honor of John Shippen, Jr., the first American-born and the first Black professional golfer. Fifteen (15) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to current students of color (High School Junior through Graduate Student status) who have demonstrated leadership & service with a commitment to inclusion & diversity efforts on campus and in the community.

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THE LEGACY OF JOHN SHIPPEN, JR.

The First Black Golf Professional AND the First American-Born Golf Professional John Matthew Shippen, Jr. (1879-1968) was born on December 5, 1879. His father, born into slavery in Virginia, became a free man following the Civil War. He then moved to Washington, D.C. where he attended Howard University and received a degree in theology. When John Jr. was age nine, his family moved to the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton on Long Island, NY, where his father was assigned as pastor.

As a teenager, Shippen worked with crews to help clear the land and build the original Shinnecock Hills golf course, which was near the reservation. Willie Dunn, a Scottish golf professional who designed the final holes at Shinnecock Hills, taught some of the young workers how to caddy and play the game, including John Shippen and his friend, Oscar Bunn, a Shinnecock Indian. Shippen had a natural talent for the game and became one of Dunn’s best students. By the age of 16, Shippen was working full-time as Dunn’s assistant, giving lessons to members, working as a caddy, repairing clubs, scorekeeping and assisting the maintenance crew.

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Eligibility Requirements

Race/ Ethnic Identity

Must identify as one of the following: American Indian, Native American or Alaskan Native Asian or Pacific Islander Black, Afro-Caribbean or African-American Hispanic or Latina(o)(x) Middle Eastern, Arab American or...

Must identify as one of the following:

  • American Indian, Native American or Alaskan Native
  • Asian or Pacific Islander
  • Black, Afro-Caribbean or African-American
  • Hispanic or Latina(o)(x)
  • Middle Eastern, Arab American or Chaldean American
  • South Asian or Indian American

GPA Requirement

GPA Have a minimum high school or undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 (based on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent

  • GPA
    • Have a minimum high school or undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 (based on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent

Letter of Recommendation

Letter of Recommendation Highlight commitment to inclusion or community service efforts Submit a minimum of one (1) Letter of Recommendation Letter of Recommendation should be submitted by a...

Letter of Recommendation

  • Highlight commitment to inclusion or community service efforts
  • Submit a minimum of one (1) Letter of Recommendation
  • Letter of Recommendation should be submitted by a non-family member

Additional Requirements

Applicants that attend the 2021 John Shippen Sports Business Summit will receive five (5) additional points to the their final application score. The McLendon Foundation will...

    • Applicants that attend the 2021 John Shippen Sports Business Summit will receive five (5) additional points to the their final application score.
    • The McLendon Foundation will disseminate fifteen (15) $1,000 Scholarships
      • Five (5) $1,000 Scholarships will be awarded and paid to five high school winners
      • Five (5) $1,000 Scholarships will be awarded to five current undergraduate students and payments will be made directly to the students college institution financial aid department
      • Five (5) $1,000 Scholarships will be awarded to five current graduate students and payments will be made directly to the students college institution financial aid department
  • To review additional terms, please CLICK HERE

To learn more about THE JOHN SHIPPEN

Visit www.thejohnshippen.com


PLEASE SUBMIT A 250-WORD ESSAY OR SUBMIT A 60 - 90 SECOND CREATIVE VIDEO SHOWCASING YOUR PERSONAL STORY

PLEASE SELECT ONE (1) of the following prompts:
  1. Please describe your leadership activities and commitment to service within your community through the vehicle of sports; including specifically how those activities have encouraged or supported diversity &/or inclusion.
  2. Please describe how John Shippen Jr.’s legacy has inspired you.  What aspect(s) of his story resonates most with you and why?
  3. Tell us a time you took the initiative to create something (program, event, etc.) you are interested in and how did your efforts impact others?
  4. Tell us how you imagine incorporating your personal values and professional passion(s) into your future career?
  5. When you think about the word “legacy,” what does it mean to you? What do you want your legacy to be?

Questions?

For questions, contact:

Adrien Harraway
email: aharraway@nacda.com