Renie Amoss Scholarship Is A Prize Worth Remembering

By: Ben Zacher (Volunteer Athletic Communications Assistant)

Being deemed the "Best" of any college is about as honorable of a title as a student can receive. But that is exactly the distinction that the late Corene "Renie" Amoss holds at Goucher College, and it is impossible to argue with that title. Amoss played three sports for the Gophers – basketball, field hockey, and tennis – and she excelled at all three. 

"When I hear the name 'Renie Amoss', I think of an amazing student, athlete, sister, and friend."

Those are just a few of the words used to describe one of the most legendary athletes in Goucher Athletics history, as given by Rylee McDonnell, a 2019 recipient of the Renie Amoss Scholarship and a member of the women's soccer team.

The beginning of Renie's legacy at Goucher dates back to the late 1980s when she made the commitment to spend her collegiate career in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite making visits to universities that were bigger than Goucher, she opted to stay close to home and attend a school where she could play athletics while pursuing a prestigious education.

That decision definitely worked out for Amoss. In women's basketball, she ranks as the all-time leading scorer in program history with 2,220 points, nearly 600 more than her closest rival. That 2,220 tally currently places her as the 21st all-time leading scorer in the history of NCAA Division III women's basketball. In field hockey, she holds school records for most goals (seven) and total points (17) in a game, as well as in a season, collecting 23 goals and 56 total points during the 1992 season. When she joined the women's tennis team her freshman year, Amoss was lower on the ladder, but she did not let that hold her back. By her senior season, she was the No. 2 player on the team. Her athletic accomplishments garnered her multiple accolades, as well. She was named a First Team All-Capital Athletic Conference honoree in basketball for three years and in field hockey for two years.

All of this is without even mentioning her academic prowess. She pursued a degree in economics, completing her collegiate education with a stellar 3.7 grade-point average. She was the sole recipient of the Goucher College Coaches' Award as the outstanding senior student-athlete in 1993 and was recognized three times as an Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors Association of America. And, arguably, her most prestigious accolade was being named as the state of Maryland's recipient of the 1993 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

To put it obviously, all was going well for Amoss. She graduated with honors on May 14 and planned to attend graduate school at Villanova University. But unfortunately,13 days later, on May 27, 1993, tragedy struck when she passed in an automobile accident. Within months, with her legacy looming large, Goucher established the Corene E. Amoss Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Renie Amoss Memorial Run Walk, more commonly now referred to as the Renie Race.

The Renie Race has been hosted on an annual basis every Sunday morning during Goucher College's Family Weekend in October, with the inaugural race taking place in 1993. Initiated by a handful of Goucher coaches, including Amoss's tennis coach Sally Baum, the Renie Race allows for a social atmosphere that celebrates Amoss's life and legacy, and raises funds for the Renie Amoss Scholarship. The scholarship, in turn, has granted monetary awards to eligible Goucher College students every year since its inception.

Obviously, the monetary value of the Renie Amoss Scholarship is significant on its own, and it has also helped Gophers experience things that otherwise would not have been possible. Wren Wakeman, a member of the Goucher equestrian squad and a two-time participant in the IHSA National Championships, received the scholarship in 2018. For her, that honor granted her an opportunity that she may not have been able to afford without it.

"Receiving the Renie Scholarship meant that I was able to study abroad in January of my senior year without great financial stress. The money I received went toward a plane ticket and other expenses for my ICA to Ghana," Wakeman said. "This trip was, not to be cliché, life-changing, and I am so grateful to have been able to attend using the money from my scholarship."

Likewise, for McDonnell, it allowed her to be able to purchase a laptop – something that has become invaluable during the times of COVID-19 – and it paved the way for her to study abroad during last spring's semester at the University of St. Andrews, paying for her room and board as well as her groceries in Scotland.

And for some, earning the scholarship not only helped offer opportunities during college, but also reduced the pressure for those pursuing graduate school. For 2013 recipient Demie Huffman, that could not be any truer.

"Receiving the scholarship was a game changer for me," Huffman said. "It enabled me to apply to more graduate schools than I initially had thought possible, and I was able to use the award to help pay for some of the tuition fees for one of my semesters of graduate school. I don't know if I can describe just how much stress that alleviated for me."

Even for those who are still at Goucher who are preparing for the future during these uncertain times, they remain optimistic and thrilled about the possibilities that the scholarship will bring. Emmie Starchvick, an All-Conference member of the women's golf team and one of this year's recipients after being nominated by departing golf coach Hunter Brown, admitted that "receiving it was like a big light in my life after not having the best few months," and that it has given her a hopeful outlook despite the adversity that 2020 has brought.

"It is a prestigious award that will benefit my future applications to veterinary school. The scholarship will also lighten my financial burden of my undergraduate career and has significantly reduced my stress over paying for my remaining year," Starchvick said. "Being awarded this scholarship has also helped me stay focused on my academics and athletics. 2020 has been a stressful and overwhelming year but thinking about all of Renie's accomplishments has really kept me motivated."

While the scholarship itself carries its worth monetarily, it also possesses a spiritual symbolism for these student-athletes. For them, Amoss's name is now forever tied to theirs, her legacy is on their shoulders, and they have joined the company of those considered the "Best of Goucher."

"It's so humbling," Grace Kelly, a 2020 recipient of the scholarship, said. Kelly serves as an admissions ambassador and a resident assistant, as well as the operations and social media manager for the Goucher men's lacrosse team. "As much as I love being involved in so many things and having a busy schedule, it does catch up to me sometimes. I know how highly our community thinks of Renie, so to know that people think of me in the same way they think of Renie is such an honor. It makes the long days and hard work worth it."

Being awarded the scholarship also comes with the opportunity to meet and make a connection with Amoss's parents. George and Elaine Amoss have been, without question, the most instrumental components in ensuring that their daughter's memory and legacy lives on, and they continue to celebrate her life and the recipients of the scholarship and their accomplishments through the Renie Race. 

Joey Fink, a 2013 scholarship winner and a national champion in equestrian, noted just how powerful and honorable it is to be affiliated with Amoss and her "wonderful family who has continued to keep her legacy thriving at Goucher College." 

Those who have not had the opportunity to know the Amoss family for as long are just as thrilled to build a relationship, as Kelly mentioned, "I'm also very grateful to be making another connection within the Goucher community in George and Elaine. They have already been so gracious and kind, and I'm so excited to get to know them more."

The experience of celebrating Amoss's life with George and Elaine has been made possible through the Renie Race. While the event initially began as a somber affair, it has turned into a joyous gathering of remembrance of Amoss's life and of recognition for the prize winners.

"It was so fun to see people come together for the Renie Race and to be able to meet George and Elaine," Wakeman said. "I was able to stand with the other recipients and cheer on the people who were running or walking. It was a supportive environment for the runners, scholarship recipients, and for George and Elaine. I was really excited and honored to be a part of that day."

The moment of receiving the scholarship, much like any other award, is a surprise. Depending on the circumstances, a few recipients know prior that their name is being considered for the award, but others do not know until they receive an email revealing that they have garnered the award. While McDonnell had an inkling due to her coach having her fill out applications for several leadership awards, Kelly "[had] no idea how [her] name was put into the mix for the scholarship." Despite the differing conditions for the two, they shared nearly identical reactions of astonishment.

"I found out I received this scholarship as I was driving to my summer job last year. I was awestruck," McDonnell said. "I immediately called my mom to tell her the news. I already knew at this point that I was planning on studying abroad in the spring and had already begun saving more money than usual to make up for it, but to get this extra financial help was huge for my family."

For Kelly, family also made the feeling that much more emotional.

"For some reason, putting my feelings into words is very difficult and overwhelming, because it means so much to me. I woke up in the morning and checked my phone, and the first notification I saw was the email about the scholarship. I could not believe it, and honestly, I still don't believe it," Kelly said. "I was in shock until I told my mom; she made it feel real because of how excited she was. She knows more than anyone how much I've been through and how hard I've worked to get where I am, so seeing her so excited and proud made getting the scholarship ten times more rewarding." 

Huffman, one of the premier goalkeepers in the Landmark Conference during her time on the Goucher field hockey team, recalled an anecdote from when she received the scholarship, unbeknownst to her at the time that she had even been nominated for the honor.

"I actually didn't know that I had been nominated for the scholarship until I had received it. I think Dean Bryan Coker approached me on Van Meter and said, 'Check your mail,' and gave me a thumbs up. To say I was confused would be an understatement," Huffman said. "When I went to my mailbox later that day, I had a letter congratulating me, requesting my presence to meet George and Elaine. It was almost surreal. I remember feeling excited and proud."

The feeling of surprise and amazement, the opportunity to pursue activities and passions that might not have been financially possible before, and the possibility of cementing a legacy at Goucher, all would not be possible without George and Elaine Amoss, or the Renie Race. But, most importantly, it would be completely out of the question without Renie Amoss, her academic and athletic achievements, and her wonderful, carefree spirit. 

Celebrating Amoss's life and forming a connection to her, whether it is physically through the scholarship or emotionally through carrying her name, is undoubtedly one of the most invaluable experiences a recipient of the Renie Amoss Scholarship may ever endure. Arguably, no recipient shares and summarizes their spiritual bond quite like Fink.

"As a Goucher student, especially as a Goucher athlete, I learned very early on about who Renie Amoss was and [the] legacy she left with the college," Fink said. "I get chills when I think about Renie and the various bonds that connect us. We were not only both student-athletes, but we were both economics majors. What really shakes me to my core is the fact that I was born May 27, 1993, the day Renie's life tragically ended. For me, this full circle experience, one life ends and another one begins, has been a reminder to strive toward living a life that honors Renie's values." 

While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced this year's Renie Race to be postponed to 2021, that has not halted any of the celebrations for Amoss or the scholarship winners. Four more Goucher students have joined the ranks of being among the "Best of Goucher" this year in Kelly, Starchvick, Brandon Rodriguez Torrento, Mikayla Trainor, and all four will be commemorated even without the Renie Race.

Like Kelly and Starchvick, Torrento and Trainor have also been involved in a multitude of activities at Goucher. Torrento has served as the marketing and outreach coordinator for the student engagement team, an admissions ambassador, and a resident assistant. Trainor is a member of the Reverend's Rebels, Goucher Chamber Singers, and the Goucher Chorus, is the co-treasurer of the Beekeeping Club, and was the organizer for the Sunrise Movement. All four Goucher students have dedicated any and all of their free time to Goucher extracurriculars, and continue to better Goucher College, just as Renie Amoss did before them.

The strong bonds that these students have built with each other, George and Elaine Amoss, and the Goucher community have all come as a result of Renie Amoss and the scholarship.  For them, one of the finest honors is to serve as a representative of Renie's memory.

"It means a lot to me and my family to have been selected for such an amazing scholarship," Torrento said. "It feels great to have been chosen as one of the students to honor Renie's legacy. Once I received the email with the news, I felt extremely grateful. I felt blessed."

No one encompassed what it means to be a part of the Goucher community quite like Renie Amoss, and her memory and legacy have continued to strengthen and bring together the community even further nearly 30 years later. Hadley Couraud, a member of the cross country and track and field teams and a 2011 honoree, encapsulated exactly what makes Renie Amoss the "Best of Goucher."

"To recognize whose legacy I had been welcomed into was humbling. I never had the fortune of knowing Renie Amoss personally, but the way she modeled being an athlete and member of a team, with the enduring spirit she so clearly embodied, has been a motivating aspiration since I learned who she was," Couraud said. "Over the years, staying in touch with George and Elaine, and running in subsequent Renie Race's, have only furthered that sense as she lives on through her dedication to uplifting and providing opportunities to other athletes through her scholarship." 

Just as Goucher College gave Renie Amoss a home to flourish and leave a legacy, she has given Gophers, down through the subsequent years, the possibility of cementing their own legacies. Even though she has been gone for 27 years, her impact, her spirit, and her memory will live on through her parents, the Renie Race, the scholarship fund, and its grateful honorees.

Although the Renie Race has been cancelled this year, Goucher encourages those interested to run or walk during the weekend when the race would normally be held – October 9-11 – and share their photos with us on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram with the hashtag #RenieRace. While COVID-19 has altered our plans, we are still celebrating Renie Amoss and the accomplishments of our scholarship recipients, and we hope that you will partake, as well!