Michael Pond's class
assignment for English 250
Date: November 30, 2000
To: Jesse Rosenblum, Associate Vice President, College Relations
From: Michael Pond, Director of Communications
Re: PGA Junior Golf Tournament in Trenton
The City of Trenton and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing are
planning a three-day Junior Golf Tournament in June, 2001. The event,
sponsored by NIKE will take place at The Mountain View Country Club in
Trenton and will showcase PGA superstar Tiger Woods.
What is the purpose of the tournament?
The purpose of the tournament is to introduce the sport of golf to children
in Trenton and throughout the state of New Jersey. Courtesy of NIKE Golf,
many children will receive free golf clubs, golf balls, and golf bags. The
tournament also intends to strengthen the ties TCNJ has with the city of
Trenton and the surrounding communities. It will attempt to give Trenton and
TCNJ positive national recognition as a city and a college on the rise.
The tournament will also involve many students at TCNJ. Ambassadors,
Community Advisors, Student Organizations and volunteers will be on hand to
make the event run smoothly as they help and interact with the children
taking part in the tournament.
What are the benefits of the tournament?
As mentioned briefly before, the tournament is designed to benefit children,
Trenton, and TCNJ. Each will play a part in the occasion and each will take
something away from it.
· Children in Trenton and throughout Mercer County will have the chance to
compete in a positive environment free of charge. They will be exposed to
encouraging role models at the college as well as many local golf pros
intending to lend their knowledge at no cost When NIKE donates new equipment
to the children, they will not feel embarrassed as they might have if they
had shabby golf gear or no golf gear at all. This puts the children on a
level playing field and boosts their self-esteem and interest in an upbeat
activity. This alone should draw these kids to the tournament as they
register in the upcoming months. If anything, it is a benefit for these
children to meet Tiger Woods, a commercial icon with an interest in
diversifying the game of golf as well as introducing it to children at a
young age. Through the Tiger Woods foundation, he is using golf as a vehicle
to reach out to family and children as he promotes applying the lessons of
golf to aspects of life and tells kids how they can be a succ
ess "Do your best. Embrace every activity with integrity, honesty, and
discipline. Be responsible for your actions. And above all, have fun." If
even one kid comes away from the tournament feeling better about him or
herself, then the tournament benefited the children.
· Trenton will undoubtedly benefit from this event. In recent times, the
state of New Jersey has seen this city as a Capital that lacks the class and
excitement it once had and should have. Any event that takes kids of the
streets of Trenton and teaches them skills in competition, sportsmanship, and
morale is a good thing for them. This in itself adds class and excitement to
the city. This is not an average event. The sponsors and attendees are
known throughout the world! If the tournament is a success, Trenton will not
only be shown in a good light in the state if New Jersey, but also throughout
the entire country. In Trenton as opposed to larger cities throughout the
U.S., there may be more involvement because it isn't everyday a big event
such as this comes to town.
· TCNJ also looks to benefit from this tournament. When the college changed
its name from Trenton State College to The College of New Jersey a few years
back, there was discussion about the school wanting to get Trenton out of the
name. Although that was not the intended reason of the name change, many
observers do not believe this case. Therefore, it is important for the
college to continue to work with the city of Trenton to benefit the
surrounding community of the college and the city. This event will serve as
a liason for TCNJ and Trenton. TCNJ will also benefit because it too will be
exposed nationally as an involved Liberal Arts College held in high regard.
Students will get experience working with NIKE and the city. They will be
able to make contacts within the corporate world as they network themselves.
Does this tournament fulfill TCNJ's Mission Statement?
From the Mission Statement the following excerpt was taken, "The College, in
both its liberal arts and professional programs, prepares individuals to lead
and serve in their chosen fields and to preserve and transmit knowledge,
skills, and wisdom to benefit the people of New Jersey, the nation, and the
world." This tournament is an example of preparing individuals to lead and
serve as they transmit their own knowledge to the people involved in the
tournament. Every student, faculty member, and administrator involved will
benefit the people of New Jersey, the nation, and the world in some respect.
What are the primary concerns surrounding the tournament?
As NIKE sponsors the tournament, there are questions involving their use of
labor. TCNJ is an opponent of the use of sweatshops, yet NIKE has been
accused of using them. In response to the protest by the United Students
Against Sweatshops (USAS), NIKE has issued statements giving the following
changes recently:
· "Increased age requirements for employment in contract footwear factories
to 18 years of age -meeting or in some cases, exceeding certain U.S. and
international labor standards. A minimum
of 16 years of age is required in the less strenuous apparel manufacturing
factories.
· Improved factory indoor air quality by substituting safer water-based
adhesives in the assembly
process.
· Increased wages over 70% percent for entry-level Indonesian [footwear] -
the most recent 13.2% increase was implemented on April 1, 2000. In addition
to wages, most workers also receive benefits such as housing, transportation,
on-site health care and meals.
· Jobs in Nike contract facilities provide opportunities to build a lifestyle
and life skills that are not typically available in other wage earning
opportunities in the areas where our products are manufactured."
These concerns do give reason for discussion. The college will need to look
into the practices of NIKE so that they do not conflict with the values and
standards the college holds. However, without NIKE as a sponsor, this event
will not be possible.