Mathias Scholarship Reaches Endowment

Mark Merrick, IAA alum and donor with Kevin Mathias.

January 18, 2022 Glori Hyman

You did it! Thanks to the generosity of IAA Alumni, professional organizations, supportive businesses, and friends of the IAA, the J. Kevin Mathias Scholarship has been endowed and will be awarded for the first time in Fall 2022.

The scholarship fund, which was established in 2017 when Dr. Mathias retired from the IAA after 38 years, had a 5-year window to reach an endowment level of $25,000 and it did. “I’m so pleased with the support that was given by our turfgrass professional associations, our turfgrass vendors, and especially our IAA alumni on reaching and surpassing our endowment goal of $25,000,” said Mathias from a construction site where he is building another house.

“Kevin is always building something,” laughs IAA Director Glori Hyman. “I credit Kevin with building the IAA’s golf turf program and our national reputation as formidable Turf Bowl contenders.  And, now he’s built an endowment for a scholarship that will live on forever.”

Carolyn Fernandez, Assistant Dean, Office of External Relations, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland, worked closely with Mathias to help raise scholarship funds. She praises Mathias’s dedication to his former students and the turf/golf industry.  

We are extremely grateful for the time and leadership Dr. Mathias has given in his fundraising role,” she says. “He was instrumental at leveraging his experience and partnerships with the turfgrass and golf industry by securing much-needed resources in support of our IAA students. Our students are the future talent pipeline for the turfgrass and golf industry.”

The hope is that the Mathias Scholarship fund will continue to grow and provide aid for IAA students.  Fernandez says, “We will continue to recognize and honor Dr. Mathias by pursuing additional funds for our students.”  Contributions to the Mathias Scholarship can be made online at https://giving.umd.edu/giving/Fund.php?name=dr-j-kevin-mathias-scholarship or by check payable to University of Maryland College Park Foundation Inc., in the memo line please write the “Dr. J. Kevin Mathias Scholarship Fund (Account 21-31411), please mail to Office of Gift Acceptance, P.O Box 49013, Baltimore, MD 21297-4913.  If you have any questions on how to make a contribution to the Dr. J. Kevin Mathias Scholarship Fund please contact Carolyn Fernandez at cfernanc@umd.edu or 301-755-7068.