ESF plans to establish future Evans Scholarship House at Iowa

GLENVIEW, Ill. – The Western Golf Association’s acclaimed Evans Scholars Foundation will send its inaugural class of 10 Evans Scholars to the University of Iowa in Iowa City as incoming freshmen this fall, leaders announced today.

The addition of Iowa as the organization’s 23rd partner university is part of an ongoing expansion plan for the Evans Scholars Program, which provides full tuition and housing college scholarships to high-achieving golf caddies with limited financial means.

To qualify for the national scholarship, students must show outstanding records of caddying, academics and character and leadership. Currently, a record 1,100 students are attending 22 top universities nationwide on Evans Scholarships.

“We are thrilled to send our first class of Evans Scholars to the University of Iowa this fall,” said WGA Chairman Joe Desch. “As we work to build and establish more youth caddie programs in the state of Iowa, this partnership is an important next step in our ability to provide additional opportunities to send students to world-class institutions like the University of Iowa on full college scholarships.”

“The WGA has been providing educational opportunities to aspiring college students for nearly 100 years, and it is exciting that its introduction to our state is at the University of Iowa,” said UI Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel. “We will welcome the inaugural class with enthusiasm and look forward to sharing an educational experience that will serve them in the classroom and community.”

The group of Iowa Evans Scholars will live together in Hillcrest Hall on campus. ESF leaders also have announced plans to establish an Evans Scholars Scholarship House at Iowa, which could open as early as fall 2025.

A unique component of the Evans Scholars Program is the positive community living experience provided to students in the scholarship houses. Scholarship house living teaches students valuable life skills in communication, leadership, mentoring, and provides a strong sense of community. The buildings provide a substance-free setting where students become confident leaders on and off campus, while studying in a safe, state-of-the-art living and learning environment.

The new group of Iowa Evans Scholars met for the first time at a reception held on April 24 at WGA/ESF headquarters. New Scholar Victoria Revell, who caddied at Crystal Tree Golf and Country Club, said the university was always her first choice of school.

“From my first campus visit, I fell in love with Iowa,” she said. “It’s an honor to be an Evans Scholar and to be able to make history as part of the first class. I’m very excited to also have the opportunity in the future to live in the Scholarhip House, as well.”

 

First Name

Last Name

Hometown

Sponsoring club

High School

Anthony

Galusha

Greendale, WI

Westmoor CC

Greendale High School

Tara

Gillespie

Chicago, IL

Ridgemoor CC

Resurrection College Prep

Henry

Grauer

Lake In the Hills, IL

Crystal Lake CC

Huntley High School

Connor

Koehler

Tinley Park, IL

Midlothian CC

Lincoln-Way East High School

Michael

Leonczuk

Palatine, IL

Inverness Golf Club

William Fremd High School

Maciej

Malak

Hoffman Estates, IL

Inverness Golf Club

William Fremd High School

Victoria

Revell

Homer Glen, IL

Crystal Tree Golf & CC

Lockport High School East

Raul

Rincon Ortega

Frankfort, IL

Prestwick CC

Lincoln-Way East High School

Christopher

Smith

Oak Forest, IL

Midlothian CC

Oak Forest High School

Max

Widhalm

Crystal Lake, IL

Crystal Lake CC

Crystal Lake Central High School