Rob Shutte

Kari Williams

Toks Pedro

For Rutgers men's and women's golf, traveling to regional tournaments in the fall and spring can get strenuous at times. Having a designated vehicle that could accommodate both teams and alleviating the stress of group travel was an idea both men's head coachand women's head coachbelieved would benefit their programs both on the course and in the classroom.And with both teams in need of more financial assistance to accomplish this goal, the Rutgers University Class of 1957 stepped up and offered to help."In order to get the van, they still needed more funds, and we had that and more in our class fund," said, the Vice President and Campaign Chairman of the Class of 1957. "I've always been a big supporter and the class has also been a big supporter of both teams over the years, so I said 'let's get this thing done.'"The Rutgers Class of 1957, which celebrated its 60anniversary last year, has given back to the University throughout the years. Past donations include funds to name the plaza in front of Van Nest Hall and the Class of 1957 Pavilion at Scarlet R Field. The class has made gifts toward the Bishop House Streetscape Restoration Project, the Math and Science Learning Center and the Zimmerli Art Museum Terrace, and has also supported Spinal Cord Research, Olympic sports programs, the library and various scholarship funds.The class has also endowed two scholarships: the Class of 1957 Scarlet R Endowed Scholarship and the Class of 1957 Academic Scholarship which helps recruit the best and brightest students to Rutgers. More information on the Class of 1957 and its gifts throughout the years can be foundThe result of the collaboration between the class and the Athletic Department? A state-of-the-art 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van branded with the iconic Scarlet Knight mascot and block "R" lettering. The customized van includes plenty of space for the teams' equipment and luggage. The nine-passenger vehicle also features spacious seating – complete with built-in Wi-Fi – allowing the student-athletes to complete assignments and other projects while on the road."We just wanted to make it easier on the team to get to where they need to be," said, the President of the Class of 1957. "Other teams in the Big Ten have them, and the publicity the program and the University can get out of it is great. I just think it's awesome and a step in the right direction."Allowing Rutgers to arrive safely at various tournaments around the region in comfort and class, the van has already been put to good use. The men's team used it to travel to the Seahawk Intercollegiate in Wilmington, North Carolina, last month, and will also drive the van to the 2018 Big Ten Championships, held later this month in Baltimore.While being a Division I student-athlete comes with plenty of demands, seniorknows the van will allow both teams to dedicate less time to worrying about travel and more time to both their studies. Mills, who maintains a 3.958 GPA as a neuroscience and cell biology major with a minor in business administration in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, was recently awarded the prestigious Wayne Duke Postgraduate Scholarship."I think it's awesome to have the van for when we travel to those tournaments that are three and four hours away," Mills said. "It allows us to do homework and to just prepare and get comfortable for our tournaments. I know we're all really excited about it. The Wi-Fi is huge for us, and there are even tables that allow us to get our work done.""It's a great tool from the standpoint of being able to work on the road. It provides the fastest wireless service, which provides our student-athletes with the necessary tools to work on their academics during road trips. It also serves as a place where our team can bond and allows our guys to feel like they belong.""I want to thank all of the alumni involved for their support in providing our program with such a generous gift. This will certainly allow our student-athletes to study and be productive while traveling to practice and tournaments. The van is a key enhancement for our teams that will serve our current and future student-athletes as we compete with the top programs in the country.""The comfort is unreal. It is nice to have our own means of transportation and to have all of the space that comes with it. Sometimes, in a smaller van or on an airplane, you are not as comfortable. This van allows us to relax more and lets us prepare more efficiently. When we're riding, we can actually work on school work and be more productive with our time.""The class has been a great supporter of our golf programs, so that was the motivation behind this gift. Because traveling can get so expensive and stressful, this allows both teams to travel wherever they need to go on the East Coast and allows them to save money. It has terrific accommodations. It's a great benefit for the school as well because when they're at different tournaments, they can showcase the Rutgers name. It's a great representation for Rutgers University."Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics ) and Twitter ( @RUAthletics ) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers men's golf, follow the program on Twitter ( @RUMensGolf ) and on Instagram ( rutgersmensgolf ).