The College of Southern Maryland Foundation’s Golf Classic just had its best year yet. The 35th annual tournament raised a record-breaking $94,000 for student scholarships and programs, capping a steady multi-year climb that has seen the event’s total grow from roughly $70,000 in 2023 to $80,000 in 2025 and now to its highest mark in the tournament’s history.
Held Aug. 6 at Swan Point Yacht and Country Club, the sold-out event drew 144 community partners, supporters and alumni for a day of golf, raffles, prizes, and driving and putting contests. While golfers made their way down the fairways, the Foundation hosted its 10th Annual Sip and Swing alongside the tournament, giving non-golfing guests a mini-golf-style putting contest on the practice green, a wine tasting, and a build-your-own bouquet activity.
CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson thanked the 28 sponsors who made the event possible, led by Educational Systems Federal Credit Union, which pledged $100,000 to CSM over five years starting in 2024 to serve as the tournament’s grand sponsor. She also praised the community supporters and alumni who return year after year.
“Our alumni are our brightest points of pride,” Wilson said. “They bring distinction to our college, are leaders in business, industry, and government, and serve on the front lines of public health safety. They keep the gears of our community turning.”
Charles County Commissioner Vice President Ralph Patterson, himself a former CSM Hawk, spoke to the college’s role in strengthening the Southern Maryland workforce and creating opportunities for upward mobility. On behalf of the Charles County Board of Commissioners, Patterson read an official citation congratulating CSM on 35 years of hosting the event. “The College of Southern Maryland has continued to bring together community members, strengthen partnerships, and support educational opportunities throughout Southern Maryland,” the citation read in part. “May this milestone anniversary be a memorable occasion and celebration of this event’s enduring legacy.”
This year’s tournament introduced two new contests on the course. On hole six, golfers could make an extra donation to trade their driver for a cannon capable of shooting the ball more than 250 yards straight down the fairway. On hole two, a “Beat the Hawk” challenge let golfers try to out-drive a member of the CSM golf team; foursomes that landed closer to the pin than the Hawks could shave strokes off their scorecard.
The day’s biggest individual moment belonged to CSM alum Brett Burroughs ’19, who sank a hole-in-one on the eighth hole — made possible by event sponsor Waldorf Toyota — and drove away with a brand-new 2026 Toyota Camry. Burroughs was also part of the tournament’s first-place foursome alongside Byron Brezina ’84, Dan Escolopia, and Erik Koch.
CSM Foundation Executive Director Susan Mudd Vogel said the new contests and activities were a hit and helped generate even more support for students. “We’re proud to see our community partners and alumni return to the Golf Classic year after year to give the next generation the support, encouragement, and opportunities they need to succeed,” Vogel said. “As we celebrate 35 years of this event, we’re excited to keep building on that legacy and finding new ways to make it even more meaningful for years to come.”
Among those benefiting from the day’s fundraising is Sofia Wind, a recent graduate of Henry E. Lackey High School who will join CSM this fall as a student and member of the volleyball team. A three-sport athlete in high school, Wind said the experience taught her to persevere through adversity and that what matters most is how you respond to mistakes. She is a recipient of the Danny Williams ’68 Scholarship, awarded to student athletes in honor of Williams’ more than four decades of service to CSM.
“Williams’ legacy reminds me of the lasting impact one person can have on so many,” Wind said. “Receiving this scholarship is about more than financial support, it reminded me that people believe in students like me and are willing to invest in our futures. It means more than I can put into words. I’m grateful for the encouragement and support this scholarship stands for.”
Over the tournament’s 35-year history, the CSM Foundation has now raised more than $1.6 million for student scholarships and support programs. The college’s foundation has said in the past that such support translated into more than $1 million in scholarships awarded to 918 students in a single recent year — underscoring how directly Golf Classic dollars flow into CSM’s broader student-aid efforts across its campuses in La Plata, Hughesville, Leonardtown and Prince Frederick.
Tournament winners: First place — Byron Brezina ’84, Dan Escolopia, Erik Koch, and Brett Burroughs ’19. Second place — Ed Paton, Kwang An, Craig Heurich, and Josh Lansberg. Third place — Mike Garner, Vinny Kruszka ’25, Phil Wiley, and Keith Sanderson. Contest winners: Closest to the Pin — Vinny Kruszka ’25 and Linda Goodman. Longest Drive — Anthony Neeley and Erin Johnson. Straightest Drive — John Edelen and Kellie Jamison. Shore United Bank Putting Contest: first place, Nick Ellis; second place, Nick Davis; third place, John Edelen.
