Florida State College at Jacksonville announces AJ Laguerre Jr. Scholarship established by PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship
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AJ Laguerre Jr. Endowed Scholarship is a full scholarship established by the PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship to honor the memory of the 2022 Raines graduate. (Courtesy PGA TOUR)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Monday, more than 200 students at William M. Raines Senior High School were the first to learn of the AJ Laguerre Jr. Endowed Scholarship, a full scholarship established by the PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship to honor the memory of the 2022 Raines graduate, who planned to go to FSCJ and major in cybersecurity.
Open to high school graduates seeking enrollment at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) to pursue a career in cybersecurity, IT and related areas, the scholarship commemorates Laguerre's love of video games and streaming, which fueled his passion and interest in technology. Preference will be given to students who reside in Health Zone 1 (32202, 32204, 32206, 32208, 32209 and 32254 zip codes).
“As members of this community, we strive to ensure that the contributions our tournament and the PGA TOUR make are meaningful and have a lasting impact,” said Lee Smith, executive director, THE PLAYERS Championship. “We are honored to play a small part in ensuring AJ’s legacy reflects and supports the dreams of future FSCJ students with similar goals.”
During the scholarship announcement, FSCJ College President John Avendano, Ph.D., posthumously awarded Laguerre with an Honorary Associate in Science degree in Cybersecurity. Along with a custom jersey, the degree was presented to family members in attendance.
“Partnership is what brings us together today. It’s people, and the people in organizations, with ideas and hearts for those who need a little extra support to make their dreams a reality,” said Avendano. “We are proud to partner with the PGA TOUR to honor AJ’s dream and aspirations.”
Prior to the scholarship announcement, a panel, featuring cybersecurity, information technology and industry leaders and alumni, was hosted to inform students of the various IT and STEM-related careers.
“Seeing our graduate honored at his alma mater with the announcement of the AJ Laguerre Jr. Endowed Scholarship is truly heartwarming,” said Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier. “I am thankful to The PGA TOUR, THE PLAYERS Championship and FSCJ for ensuring that AJ’s legacy will continue to be one of hope in this community.”