The Marilynn Smith Scholarship is named in honor of one of the LPGA’s most beloved Founders, who was known as the Goodwill Ambassador on the LPGA Tour in its early years.

This scholarship awards $5,000 each to high school seniors who plan to play golf at an accredited college or university in the United States. Since Marilynn Smith established her namesake scholarship program in 1999, the LPGA Foundation has awarded over $1 million to scholarship recipients.

Thanks to the generosity of Golf It Forward, the Marilynn Smith & Founders’ Legacy Foundation, and other supporters, the LPGA Foundation awarded $125,000 in scholarships to the twenty-five worthy recipients below: 

  1. Madeline Bante will play collegiate golf at Notre Dame University and study business with a focus on social enterprise. She dreams of earning an MBA and competing on the LPGA Tour.
  1. Hailey Blancas will play collegiate golf at Saint Martins University in Lacey, WA and major in Mathematics. 
  1. Brielle Burns will attend The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with the intention to get a degree in Environmental Engineering that will allow her to work on sustainable golf course design. She hopes to use her degree to create a girls’ golf foundation where she can promote female involvement in the game and teach about the importance of sustainability on golf courses. 
  1. Avery Chappell will attend Drury University in Springfield, MO and has committed to playing golf. She plans to pursue a business degree in marketing and management with hopes of one say working with the PGA or LPGA Tours.
  1. Anna Eckmann will attend Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. She plans to earn a degree in Data Science to help reduce the amount of water used in American agriculture. Anna’s interest in water conservation stems from participation with the Future Farmers of America. 
  1. Alexis Elliott will attend California State University Chico with plans to major in Biology with a minor in Business. She hopes to earn her Physician’s Assistant Master’s degree before going on to work with Doctors Without Borders before transitioning to work in geriatrics.
  1. Ava Frederiksen will play golf and study Biomedical Science at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. She hopes to work in biomedical engineering.
  1. Avery Janutolo plans to attend Lincoln Memorial University to pursue a degree in English/Pre-Law and then advance to law school. She aims to become a corporate attorney.
  1. Jaycee Jenkins plans to pursue a degree in Biology at Palm Beach Atlantic University before advancing to medical school, She aspires to become a pediatrician to provide quality health care for those in need, particularly economically challenged countries around the world.
  1. Raleigh Lard will attend Hastings College in Hastings, NE, where she will play golf and pursue a degree in finance.
  1. Hannah Martin will attend Colorado Christian University. Her ambition is to boldly defend and protect our country against cyber criminals, international threats, and domestic terrorism.
  1. Siena Maschke will play golf and study Business Management and Psychology at Denison University in Granville, OH. She hopes to become an entrepreneur focused on supporting women, golf, and art by designing and offering stylish women’s golf apparel. Having founded the Laurel School 4 Girls Golf Clinic in 2022, she intends to continue her efforts on girls’ empowerment through golf and beyond to make an even bigger impact.
  1. Nicole McGuire will study Biomedical Engineering at Washington University at St. Louis before advancing to medical school. Studying engineering will allow her to bridge the gap between developmental technology and medicine.
  1. Lauren McPhillips-Newcomb will attend Mount Mercy University to pursue a degree in Biology with the hope of attending dental school. She aims to become a licensed orthodontist in the state of Illinois.
  1. Alayna Meyer will play golf at Otterbein University in Westerville, OH. She plans to major in Economics and minor in Sports Management. Her goal is to pursue a career in supply chain management and eventually work in the golf industry.
  1. Sammi Miller will study Sports Management at Ashland University in Ohio. She hopes to secure a career in the golf industry upon graduation.
  1. Caroline Owens will play on the golf team at Notre Dame and hopes to pursue a career in financial services and/or one that combines her love for golf and finance.
  1. Mia Pace will attend Utah Valley University in Orem, UT to pursue a degree in Business. She plans to attend graduate school to study Landscape Architecture and become a golf course architect.
  1. Morgan Peterson will attend the University of Dayton, where she will play golf and pursue a degree in Civil Engineering. Playing professional golf is not out of the question.
  1. Halle Richter will attend The College of Idaho in Caldwell, ID, where she plans to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and then earn a Master’s in Educational Leadership/School Counseling. She hopes to become an Elementary Teacher or School Counselor and Coach.
  1. Kayla Schaull will play golf at Blue Mountain Christian University in Mississippi and continue her studies toward a degree in children’s ministry or something similar that will allow her to work with children.
  1. Kinsley Smith plans to receive her MBA and JD from Creighton University. She would like to work in law, particularly in the sports and entertainment industry.
  1. Kennedy Swenick will attend the University of Virginia to study Computer Science and Business/Economics. She dreams of one day competing on the LPGA Tour.
  1. Caroline Thompson will attend the University of Richmond to earn a degree in Business with a minor in Spanish. She hopes to make her way to the LPGA Tour and then work in the golf industry.
  1. Waverly Yang will attend Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA, where she will play on the golf team an earn a degree in Biology or Biochemistry. She hopes to pursue a career in pediatric dentistry.