Students will begin college this fall
Glenview, Ill. – Fifty-eight students from the Chicago area have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following selection interviews held Feb. 22-24.
Each caddie has a unique story that reflects the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
They will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars at universities across the nation. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $120,000 over four years. Winners are listed below.
“These young men and women are part of an exceptional incoming class of New Scholars from around the nation,” said WGA Chairman Joe Desch. “They represent what the Evans Scholars Program has been about since 1930.”
The Evans Scholars selection interviews are being held with applicants nationwide through the spring. When the 2021-22 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 315 caddies from across the country are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.
The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
Currently, a record 1,070 caddies are enrolled at 21 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,500 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
“These young students have each shown excellence in the classroom, in their communities and on the golf course,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski. “We are proud to welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”
Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by nearly 35,000 supporters across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $17 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, are donated to the Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2022, the BMW Championship will be held at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, from Aug. 16-21.
|
Name |
City |
Club |
High School |
|
Andrea Parent |
Addison |
Medinah CC |
Addison Trail HS |
|
Joaquin Barba |
Antioch |
Merit Club |
Antioch HS |
|
Connor Costello |
Arlington Heights |
Rolling Green CC |
Hersey HS |
|
Devin Roser |
Arlington Heights |
Twin Orchard CC |
Buffalo Grove HS |
|
Marina Paniagua |
Aurora |
Stonebridge CC |
West Aurora HS |
|
Kayla "Rosie" Edwards |
Bartlett |
Medinah CC |
Bartlett HS |
|
Kyle Mayr |
Bensenville |
River Forest CC |
Immaculate Conception |
|
Elijah Bolger |
Berwyn |
Riverside GC |
Fenwick HS |
|
Leonardo Saavedra |
Berwyn |
Ruth Lake CC |
Nazareth Academy |
|
Riley Heydenburg |
Buffalo Grove |
Royal Melbourne CC |
Stevenson HS |
|
Finley Albinak |
Chicago |
Bryn Mawr CC |
Lane Tech |
|
Natalie Archacki |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Fenwick HS |
|
Ryan Bender |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Saint Patrick HS |
|
Kai Billups |
Chicago |
Knollwood Club |
UChicago Lab Schools |
|
Lena Bryan* |
Chicago |
Beverly CC |
Mother McAuley |
|
Julian Flores |
Chicago |
Exmoor CC |
De La Salle Institute |
|
Anthony Gawenda |
Chicago |
Oak Park CC |
Lincoln Park HS |
|
Stephen Goonan |
Chicago |
Skokie CC |
Lane Tech |
|
Sean Greene* |
Chicago |
Bryn Mawr CC |
Notre Dame Prep |
|
Catherine Gruszka |
Chicago |
Bryn Mawr CC |
Taft HS |
|
Freddy Jaramillo |
Chicago |
Northmoor CC |
Northridge Prep |
|
Isabela Kulis |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Taft HS |
|
Noah Melendez |
Chicago |
Park Ridge CC |
Lane Tech |
|
Gloria Neequaye |
Chicago |
Glen Oak CC |
St. Ignatius |
|
Catherine Novo |
Chicago |
Bryn Mawr CC |
Loyola Academy |
|
Emerson Genzlinger |
Crystal Lake |
Crystal Lake CC |
Prairie Ridge HS |
|
Molly Savage |
Darien |
Ruth Lake CC |
Hinsdale South |
|
Luke Brenner |
Des Plaines |
Park Ridge CC |
Brenner Academy |
|
Robert Rowland |
Elmhurst |
Butterfield CC |
York HS |
|
Jack Schnoebelen |
Elmwood Park |
Oak Park CC |
Saint Patrick HS |
|
Daniel McQuillan |
Evergreen Park |
Ridge CC |
Evergreen Park HS |
|
Grace Novick |
Evergreen Park |
Beverly CC |
Mother McAuley |
|
John O'Connell |
Evergreen Park |
Ridge CC |
Brother Rice |
|
Shane Palmer |
Frankfort |
Prestwick CC |
Lincoln-Way East |
|
Matthew Cavender |
Glenview |
Park Ridge CC |
Glenbrook South HS |
|
Liam Hand |
Glenview |
North Shore CC |
Loyola Academy |
|
Nicholas Wessel |
Glenview |
Sunset Ridge CC |
Glenbrook South HS |
|
Vanessa Avila |
Gurnee |
Skokie CC |
Warren Township HS |
|
Quinn Finder |
Hoffman Estates |
Inverness GC |
Conant HS |
|
Jake Ryan |
La Grange Park |
Butterfield CC |
Brother Rice |
|
Gabriel Lazarski |
LaGrange Park |
Riverside GC |
Lyons Township HS |
|
Ella Baffico |
Libertyville |
Knollwood Club |
Libertyville HS |
|
Jared Hughes |
Lindenhurst |
Ivanhoe Club |
Grayslake North HS |
|
Sofia Miceli |
Melrose Park |
Oak Park CC |
St. Ignatius |
|
Philip Donaghey |
Mokena |
Crystal Tree Golf & CC |
Lincoln Way Central |
|
Andrew Fusco |
Morton Grove |
Glen View Club |
Loyola Academy |
|
Keleigh Birk* |
Oak Forest |
Midlothian CC |
Oak Forest HS |
|
Kellen O'Keefe |
Oak Lawn |
Ridge CC |
Marist HS |
|
Zechariah Daley |
Oak Park |
Oak Park CC |
Fenwick HS |
|
Madeleine Viz* |
Orland Park |
Midlothian CC |
Benet Academy |
|
Donald Carl |
Palatine |
Inverness GC |
Fremd HS |
|
Anastasia Shkibara |
River Grove |
Oak Park CC |
Fenwick HS |
|
Charles McQueeny |
South Elgin |
Elgin CC |
Saint Edward Catholic |
|
Owen Jager |
Spring Grove |
McHenry CC |
Marian Catholic |
|
Gabriella Cavalieri* |
Western Springs |
Butterfield CC |
Fenwick HS |
|
Allison Heniff |
Wheaton |
Cantigny Golf |
Wheaton Warrenville S |
|
Filip Zlatanovski |
Willowbrook |
Ruth Lake CC |
Hinsdale Central |
|
Zion Golliday* |
Yorkville |
Glen Oak CC |
Wheaton Warrenville S |
*Awarded the Evans Scholarship for three years, as students are currently freshman in college.