“It is an honor to be selected for a SCTPF Scholarship. Having this scholarship help pay for my education motivates me to be the best student I can possibly be.”
Information
The South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation has multiple scholarships it awards each year.
The SCTPF established *two $2,000 scholarships in 1993, named in honor of Lucy Garvin and Jim Russell.
The Randall G. Heffron, D.M.D, Memorial Scholarship Award, established in 2005, uses the same criteria as the Patrons Foundation Scholarships and is selected by the SCTPF Scholarship Committee. The Heffron scholarship is funded through contributions made to the Coastal Community Foundation.
The Foster Family Scholarship was added in 2016. It also follows the same general criteria except it is awarded only to applicants who have played at least two years of high school tennis including their senior year. The Foster Family Scholarship is funded by Amy Foster Martin in memory of her parents, Sonny and Jerry Foster, and her, brother Larry Foster.
The overall objective of the scholarship program is to recognize the most deserving graduating senior students based upon the following combined criteria:
Academic achievement (35%)
Notable tennis achievements (25%)
Character and sportsmanship (15%)
Extracurricular activities and community service (15%)
Applicant Essay, “The Impact of Tennis on My Life” (10%)
The South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation is an eleemosynary 501c3 organization established to promote tennis in South Carolina and operate the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame. The Foundation is supported by contributions, which are tax deductible.
Scholarship Biographies
Lucy Garvin is a towering figure in tennis in the Palmetto State, and beyond. As a former Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA she is perhaps the most prominent volunteer USTA South Carolina has ever produced. Prior to her tenure as President, Garvin was a member of the USTA Board of Directors for 12 years. At various times Garvin has also served as Chair of the US Open Committee, a representative of the USTA on the Grand Slam Committee, Chair of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Master Plan Study Group, and as a member of the USTA International Committee. In addition to her national USTA responsibilities, Garvin has also been elected to the Board of Directors for the International Tennis Federation (ITF), has served as Chair of the ITF Junior Competition Committee, and has served on the ITF Development Committee. Garvin got her start volunteering in South Carolina and has served as president of both USTA South Carolina, and USTA Southern. In recognition of her tireless service to tennis in South Carolina, she has been inducted into the SC Tennis Hall of Fame, the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame, and USTA South Carolina named its highest volunteer award, the Lucy Garvin Award, in her honor.
Jim Russell contributed to tennis in innumerable ways, but is perhaps most widely known as the USTA SC President who established the SC Tennis Patrons Foundation and the SC Tennis Hall of Fame. Russell’s impact on tennis in South Carolina, and beyond, was deep and long lasting. Russell was extremely active as a volunteer in many capacities. He was president of USTA South Carolina and the USTA Southern Section, and served on the Board of Directors of both organizations. In addition, Russell was on the Board of the Belton Tennis Association, Chairman of the SC Tennis Patrons Foundation, and on a national stage he served on the USTA Board of Directors. Thousands of junior players will remember Russell as the referee for the SC Closed Qualifying Tournament in Belton, a role which he held for 36 years. In addition, he served as referee for the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Tennis Championships, and the NCAA Men’s Championships. Russell’s volunteerism was recognized as USTA Southern awarded him its highest volunteer service awards, the Jacobs’ Bowl and the Charles B. Morris Award. Russell has been inducted into the SC Tennis Hall of Fame, the USTA Southern Hall of Fame, and the ITA Men’s College Tennis Hall of Fame.
Randall G. Heffron, DMD, was a marvelous model of sportsmanship, modesty, and respect for all people regardless of race, religion, philosophy, or social status. Heffron was known as an outstanding tennis player who was modest in victory and who was highly respected by his peers who appreciated both his competitive skills was well as the gentlemanly way he competed on the court and in life. Heffron’s junior tennis achievements include having the City of Charleston Championship trophy retired in his name after winning the title four consecutive years. He was a Belton singles and doubles champion, and a member of Wilton McKinney’s Junior Davis Cup Team. Heffron was offered the first full tennis scholarship in the history of the Citadel, where he won the Southern Conference Championship for three consecutive years and won the singles title while leading his team to the title. Heffron was awarded the Lewis Award, the highest honor given to a tennis player at the Citadel. Heffron was also inducted in to the Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame, and was listed in the 1969 edition of Outstanding College Athletes in America. Professionally Heffron was a clinical professor at the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Dental Medicine. Thanks to his outstanding contributions in quality and commitment to the dental profession, Heffron was inducted into the Pierce Fouchard Academy.
Foster Family The Foster Family Scholarship was established by Amy Foster Martin and her family in memory of her parents, Sonny and Jerry Foster and her brother, Larry Foster. All were avid tennis players, who played the game at an early age, and who grew to love this awesome sport. Amy Foster Martin is a high school No-Cut coach at AC Flora in Columbia, SC, and in her 10 seasons there, the team has one state title (boys, 2015), 4 state runner up titles, and 8 region championships. In her spare time, she plays USTA league tennis on several teams. This scholarship is for a high school player, who loves the game, and sees the lifetime love and respect for it as well. High School tennis is unique in that while players play an individual game, the team becomes more important as well as the support for one another. This recipient should reflect excellent sportsmanship and attitude, both on and off the court.