AMANDA PARKER is the new executive director of the John P. Burke Memorial Fund, which provides golf scholarships to local college-bound students. Parker has been involved with golf throughout her professional career. She was assistant women’s golf coach at Johnson & Wales University, national sales manager at the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, coordinator of club relations and events for the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund, and admissions counselor at St. Mary Academy – Bay View in East Providence. Parker succeeds the fund’s first executive director, the late Maury Davitt, who died in June 2019.
What was your reaction when you learned you would be the new executive director of the John P. Burke Memorial Fund? When I got the call and found out I was going to be the new executive director, I was ecstatic. The Burke Fund has always held a special place in my heart, and I have remained involved with the fund ever since I became a scholar, so to get the chance to become the executive director is an amazing opportunity and honor.
How important is it to carry on the legacy of John P. Burke, who died while fighting in World War II? It’s very important to carry on the legacy and the goal is to educate the scholars and alumni about Mr. Burke and why the fund is named after him. Mr. Burke was an outstanding golfer and after he lost his life during World War II, members of the Rhode Island Golf Association established the fund to honor him and all those Rhode Islanders who lost their lives in World War II.
What does it mean to you that the sport of golf has played a significant role throughout your life? Golf has always remained an important part of my life, pretty much since I started playing at the age of 7. I played in high school and in college and once I graduated, I continued to play and always seemed to find a job that was somehow connected to golf. Golf is a great sport on so many levels; it’s not only a sport where you learn to play as an individual but also as part of a team, but it’s a great way to socialize, meet new people and ultimately can teach you very important life lessons.
What part of your background do you think will be beneficial to serving as executive director? I had previously worked at the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund as their event and club relations coordinator. Having worked there and working directly with the executive director and assistant executive director … gave me some insight into what it takes to run a successful scholarship fund and will be beneficial in this role.
How satisfying is it to go to work every day knowing that you’re making a difference in a student’s life? It’s incredible. I know firsthand how much this scholarship helped me in college and being able to give someone else that opportunity is a great feeling.
What is your main goal, and what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure? My main goal is [to] spread awareness of the Burke Fund. We’re going to try and establish a brand, so to speak, to be become more recognized throughout the state.