WTA Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in Turfgrass Research

The Wayne R. Kussow Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in Turfgrass Reseasarch was formed in 2000. Pictured above from the left are Chris Wendorf (WTA Past President), Monroe Miller (WTA Research Committee), Margret Dentine (Associate Dean of College of Agriculture and Life Sciences), Wayne Kussow (Professor of Soil Science), and Pat Richter (Former UW-Madison Athletics Director)

The primary objective of this fellowship is to ensure that the University has the resources available to attract the nation's most talented students and enable them to pursue their studies in the Turfgrass Sciences at UW-Madison.

The Fellowships will provide selected graduate fellows, in both master’s and doctoral programs, with stipends and professional development funds derived from sources independent of traditional government funding.  Annual support for one graduate student currently requires approximately $24,000, including a stipend and fringe benefits of $22,000 and professional development funds of $2,000.  To attain this level of support, an endowment of $500,000 is necessary for each fellowship.

The WTA’s current goal is to establish four Fellowships in turfgrass research.  Each endowment requires a contribution of $250,000, which will be matched by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).  This goal would require a fund-raising effort $1,000,000 over the next several year on behalf of the WTA. This golf outing and other events hosted by the WTA, as well as the financial assistance from WARF, will provide a significant portion of the funds needed to obtain this goal.

In 2000 the WTA kicked of its fund drive for Distinguished Graduate Fellowships in Turfgrass Research for the Departments of Agronomy, Entomology, Horticulture, and Plant Pathology, with the hopes of having a fellowship in each of the major disciplines involved with turfgrass research at UW-Madison.  The Department of Soil Science's fellowship was established in 2000 as the Wayne R. Kussow Distiguished Graduate Fellowship.  The WTA has until 2008 to establish the remaining four fellowships and raise the $1,000,000 required.  While golf outings and other WTA events provide some funds for the fellowships, it is not enough to fund them entirely.

To contribute, contact WTA. or click here to sign up for the 2007 WTA Golf Outing benefiting the Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships in Turfgrass Research.  October 11, 2007