Combine the skills of the 2003 Missouri Valley Conference medalist with the drive to define the best in the term scholar-athlete and the result is Illinois State golfer Samantha Richdale. Add in that she has established all that in her freshman year, and the possibilities become truly exciting and accounts for her selection as the 2003 winner of the Helen Cushman Endowed Scholarship.
As a freshman, Richdale, a chemistry major, had the second-highest grade point average on the team and the Kelowna, British Columbia, native won individual honors at the Missouri Valley Conference championship, leading the Redbirds to second place as a team. Richdale is only the third freshman to win the Valley tournament.
In 1995 the Helen Cushman Endowed Scholarship Fund was established with a substantial gift from Nina Chesebro and the late Pat Chesebro to benefit Illinois State's intercollegiate women's golf program and to honor their close friend, Helen Cushman. The pair decided to establish the fund prior to Pat Chesebro's death in appreciation to Cushman, who had introduced them to the game of golf. Since 1995, it has been awarded to a Redbird womens golfer who demonstrated a passion for the game.
Richdales coach,
Ray Kralis -- the 2003 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year -- appreciates Richdales accomplishments and her potential.
The Helen Cushman endowment is the teams highest honor, said Kralis, and Samantha has raised the bar for future winners of this award with her academic and athletic performances this year. She earned Deans List honors both semesters and she led both the team and the Missouri Valley in scoring average for the year and capped off a terrific season by adding her second collegiate victory to her resum at the 2003 MVC Golf Championship.
Richdale sees the scholarship as fuel for the drive to reach her goals.
It is an honor to be recognized for the effort that I have put forth towards my academics and the sport I am dedicated to, said Richdale. This motivates me even more to attain my goal to play professionally.
The Helen Cushman Endowed Scholarship is one of 12 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes funded by private donors. Though not one of the six fully-funded endowed scholarships at Illinois State University, the Helen Cushman Endowed Scholarship provides significant support.
For information about supporting this, or other Illinois State University endowments for student-athletes, call The Redbird Club office at (309) 438-3803.
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Helen Cushman
Endowed Scholars
Illinois State University Golf
2003 - Samantha Richdale
2002 - Albiona Zhubi
2001 - Jill Rachford
2000 - Nicole Foy
1999 - Suzanne Walker
1998 - Suzanne Walker
1997 - Pina Gentile
1996 - Michelle Meyer
1995 - Jen Broggi
