FLORIDA MEMORIAL OFFERS 11 YEAR OLD A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP
Carter Bonas, an 11-year-old golfer and entrepreneur, was offered a full ride to Florida Memorial University while attending the HBCU Golf Classic at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida.
The yearly golf event is centered on providing scholarships for deserving college students interested in South Florida’s only historically Black college and university.
“We allowed him to indulge in his obsessive fixations, high energy, and desire to play with others (yet still solo) by choosing sports where his actions alone controlled his outcome,” Bonas’ mom, Dr. Thelma Tennie, wrote on Spectrum’s website.
“We began to see positive change and him heal! The use of non-contact sports, 1-on-1 activities, traditional psychotherapy sessions, and non-traditional therapies proved to be [e]ffective in Carter’s social-emotional developmental progression.”
The young business owner was diagnosed at about ten months old with Asperger’s Syndrome. Golf has had a significant impact on his life as the sport helps him focus on positively impacting the world. The sport greatly influenced his entrepreneurial journey by inspiring others to embrace their differences in mind.
“The vision for our university’s future is transformative and invigorating,” said Hardrick, Florida Memorial University’s president said in a published news release. “I look forward to continuing to work with our Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff, students, alumni, and partners to grow and unify our university with the greater community.”
Under Hardrick’s leadership, FMU reports it is experiencing an increase in enrollment commitments for fall 2022 compared to 2021. Hardick is also responsible for restoring FMU’s football team after 62 years and securing $2.4 million for aviation and science renovations. Overall, the university says donor giving increased 30% year-over-year during Hardrick’s tenure.
