Life is good for Parker Cumbea ’25 – and why not? These days Parker spends his mornings in a Guilford classroom pursuing his Business Management degree followed by afternoons on a sun-splashed golf course as a member of the Quakers’ nationally ranked men’s golf team.

He’s a natural in both environments who can’t wait to graduate and pursue a career after Guilford. But first he’s enjoying his senior year at the College, which has become a second home of sorts.

“It really is the best of both worlds,” he says. “I love the class sizes and the learning and then I get to play team golf with a great group of guys. That’s pretty special to me.”

Parker is somewhat new to team golf. Growing up in Fuquay Varina, N.C., he played golf with his father, John, on weekends. Those father-son moments are special, he says, but don’t compare to team golf.

He prefers the team competition over individual play. “It’s just a different game from playing as an individual and you’re out there on your own,” he says. “Playing with your teammates and everyone relying on each other is just a different (dynamic) that I really love. You’re starting to see a lot more team golf professionally because it’s different and fans like it.”

Parker was named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference’s second team last year as well as the ODAC’s All-Academic team for the third time. He’s earned All-America Scholar honors as a junior and is pursuing degrees in Business Management and Accounting.

He enjoys his classes, particularly those taught by Dennis Cole, Visiting Assistant Professor for Business. “He gets the class involved,” says Parker. It’s not just an hour and 15 minutes of someone lecturing to you. Dennis wants to hear from you. He wants to know what you think.”

“That’s how most of my classes are at Guilford. You’re going to be part of pushing the class forward, you’re going to be engaged. That’s the best way for me to learn. I didn’t know that about myself until coming here.”

Parker has spent the past two years interning at a general contracting company in Raleigh. The job was a mix of manual labor as well as exposure to the project management and superintendent side of the construction industry.

Between the internship and Guilford, he says his communication and leadership skills have grown immensely. “You can’t be on a construction site or playing collegiate golf and not become a better leader or someone who has good communication skills,” he says.

“I’m a different person than who I was four years ago. Guilford and golf helped me grow.”