March 24, 2021 | BY KELLEY PIERRE
Professional golfer Cameron Champ was virtually welcomed to “The Hill”, also known as Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), on Wednesday, March 24, in a private check presentation and news conference for the school’s golf program. Cameron, fresh off the Mack Champ Invitational, which honors his late grandfather, Mack (“Pops), and creates more opportunities for diverse golfers, was joined by his father Jeff Champ the Co-Founder of the Cameron Champ Foundation.
Prairie View A&M University is the second-oldest public institution in Texas and a Historically Black College/University founded in 1876. The event’s purpose was to create further opportunities for diverse golfers, which goes to the Mack Champ Scholarship Program and benefits the PVAMU University men and women’s golf teams. The men’s team won the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in 2018 & 2019, and the women’s team recently committed Freshmen Jalyn Robinson as the 2018 Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 girls golf individual champion.
In November 2020, Cameron Champ announced that the Cameron Champ Foundation and Chevron would donate $40,000 to establish scholarships for the PVAMU golf teams. This action inspired a group of prominent businessmen, led by Wendell Haskins (former PGA of America Director of Diversity) to help expand the reach. Haskins has a long history in sports and golf and has created tremendous access to the game through his annual Original Tee Golf Classic which primarily benefits youth.
Wendell’s constituency raised $64,000 towards the PVAMU scholarship effort. When added to the initial $40,000 donated by Cameron Champ and Chevron and $100,000 contributed by the PGA Tour, this brings the total amount to $204,000.
“Golf is a game that requires resources, and you often need money to deploy those resources,” said Haskins. “Being able to give these kinds of donations away is very critical, and quite honestly much needed throughout the entire diaspora to promote golf,” Haskins added.
Prairie View A&M athletes are taught upon entering the college to get into the habit of doing community outreach and support, and they are encouraged to participate in such organizations as Habitat For Humanity, food pantries, food drives, and working with local stores.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: “48 months is the duration of time they typically spend on the college campus, so we want to make sure we provide opportunities for community engagement, so they will be accustomed to doing it once they transition out with their degree,” said Dr. Reed, PVAMU’s athletic director.
Casting bread upon the waters was instilled in Cameron since he was young. “One of the things we have always taught Cameron was to always give back, always understand your family’s history,” said Jeff Champ. Mack Champ wanted to get to Prairie View but was drafted into the military. He wanted to attend because his principal in school graduated from Prairie View and brought education back in his community.
“It’s about giving them a chance to succeed in whatever they want to do, obviously, right now, golf is what they want to do but also getting a proper education and a degree from Prairie View, then, from there they can be successful people,” said Cameron Champ.
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