News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5051 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE March 6, 2009

ABAC Delegation Goes To China March 12-27

TIFTON— China attracted the attention of the entire world during the Olympic Games last summer.  On March 12-27, Dr. Eddie Seagle and eight students from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will get their very own up close and personal look at this fascinating country.

Seagle, a Professor of Agriculture and Environmental Horticulture (Turfgrass Science) at ABAC,  and the students will present a program on Golf Course Planning, Construction and Maintenance at Nansha Golf Club and Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Peoples Republic of China.  Invited by the School of Tourism Management, Sun Yat-sen University and Richtone Worldwide Limited/Golf China and BMI China, Seagle will lead the course of study in golf turf management to both Chinese golf course managers and Chinese students. 

“We are very excited about this exchange opportunity and look forward to opening this new international door for ABAC and experiencing China for two weeks,” Seagle said.

The ABAC Turf Team includes Nate Carney, President of the ABAC Student Government Association and a senior from Acworth; Jed Cathey, a senior from Madison; Brandon Doles, a senior from Fort Valley; John Grist, a sophomore from Rabun Gap; Richard Irvin, a senior from Whigham; Woody Moore, a senior from Pacolet, S.C.; Kimberly Morris, a senior from Dallas,  and Joseph Wengert III, a senior from Ringgold. 

All the students major in the new Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Turfgrass and Golf Course Management at ABAC.  Each of the students completed an application of interest, and upon being picked by a selection committee, began sending letters to friends and family to obtain the necessary funding.  Seagle said the trip will be cost free to ABAC.  The students raised over $32,000.

Seagle said the opportunity came about as a result of his many years of networking with Stephen Bernhard, President of Bernhard and Company, in Rugby, England and a donor to ABAC’s turf programs.   In February 2008, Bernhard introduced Seagle to Aylwin Tai, Managing Director of Richtone Worldwide Limited, Hong Kong, at the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Fla.

“Mr. Tai had dreams of bringing such a program to China, and he sought our expertise and creativity to make it happen,” Seagle said.  “This opportunity has the potential to be the beginning of many other such programs throughout China.”

The educational journey begins immediately at Mission Hills Golf Courses in Shenzhen, home to the world’s largest golfing facility with 12 18-hole golf courses or 216 holes of golf.  This first weekend will be utilized in discussing golf environment certification programs and meeting with the faculty at Sun Yat-sen University.  The exchange program content includes 40 hours of classroom instruction and a tour of golf courses and sites in Guangzhou, Leijiang and Beijing.  It is accredited through the Club Managers Association of America.   All club managers in attendance will receive 30 BMI (Business Management Institute) China credit hours upon successful completion of final examination as part of the certification process. 

The ABAC students will assist in presentations and interactions with the Chinese delegates, and in return, they will earn course credit toward their ABAC degree.  Other student benefits include unlimited “outside the classroom” learning opportunities, exposure to international trends and opportunities in the turfgrass disciplines, intensive preparation to be a leader in the industry upon graduation, and career development. 

“This is the networking opportunity of a lifetime for these students, and it is priceless,” Seagle said.

The students definitely agree with Seagle’s assessment of the value of the trip ahead.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am really looking forward to experiencing,” Irvin said.  “This exchange will make me a well-rounded student and leader as I enter the turfgrass industry for my career.”

Seagle said the ABAC Turf Team appreciated the assistance provided by Public Service and Business Outreach Director Diane Kilgore in document planning and coordination between ABAC, the University System of Georgia, and Sun Yat-sen University.

More information on this program can be accessed on the web by clicking on English at www.bmichina.org.

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