Evans Scholarship finalists interviewed at Chicagoland clubs
GLENVIEW, Ill. — Seventy-four students from the Chicago area have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following four selection meeting interviews held across the area in November and December at Midlothian Country Club and Oak Park Country Club. They are among the first recipients awarded from selection interviews.
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 in the fall of 2024 as Evans Scholars, with awarded universities to be finalized by March 15. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years. Those awarded are listed below.
“We are thrilled to welcome these student caddies to what will be an exceptional class of new Scholars from across the nation,” said Western Golf Association (WGA) Chairman Joe Desch. “Their dedication in the classroom, on the golf course and in their communities represents what our Program has been about since 1930.”
Evans Scholars selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. When the 2023-24 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 340 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.
Some the newly awarded Evans Scholars participated in the WGA Caddie Academy, a special summer program that provides caddie opportunities to promising high school students. With six chapters nationwide — including the Chicago area — the program offers students a chance to caddie each day, earn money, meet role models and learn valuable life lessons on the golf course. After completing three summers, participants are eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship.
The WGA, 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 1,130 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 12,040 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
“We are proud to welcome these young individuals to the Evans Scholars family,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski.
Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by more than 36,000 supporters across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $15 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 2024, the BMW Championship will be held at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado, from Aug. 20-25.
|
First Name |
Last Name |
Hometown |
Sponsoring Club |
High School |
|
Trayvonn |
Foster |
Beach Park |
Glen Flora CC |
Zion-Benton Township HS |
|
Maxymilian |
Bis |
Bensenville |
Medinah CC |
Fenton HS |
|
Megan |
Lee |
Buffalo Grove |
Sunset Ridge CC |
Stevenson HS |
|
Caleb |
Ramirez |
Cary |
Crystal Lake CC |
Cary-Grove Community HS |
|
Sergel |
Berhane |
Chicago |
Lake Shore CC |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
|
Brian |
Campoverde |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Francis W. Parker School |
|
Amir |
Davis |
Chicago |
Knollwood Club |
Mount Carmel HS |
|
Anthony |
Garcia |
Chicago |
Beverly CC |
Jones College Prep HS |
|
Miles |
Gerster |
Chicago |
Oak Park CC |
Lane Tech College Prep HS |
|
Ava |
Gonzalez |
Chicago |
Park Ridge CC |
Illinois Math & Science Academy |
|
Noah |
Green* |
Chicago |
Knollwood Club |
De La Salle Institute |
|
Geoffrey |
Heard |
Chicago |
Midlothian CC |
Urban Prep Charter Academy |
|
Gilbert |
Jacobi |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
|
Paul |
Kaczor |
Chicago |
Bryn Mawr CC |
Lane Tech College Prep HS |
|
Xitlally |
Llamas Estanquero |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Pritzker College Prep |
|
Samson |
Madariso |
Chicago |
Evanston Golf Club |
Loyola Academy |
|
Isabella |
Molina* |
Chicago |
The Glen Club |
Lincoln Park HS |
|
Deana |
Oraz |
Chicago |
Oak Park CC |
Ogden School of Chicago |
|
Bella |
Ramirez* |
Chicago |
Indian Hill Club |
Nazareth Academy |
|
Volodymyr |
Sobko |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
|
Michael |
Sosna |
Chicago |
Ridgemoor CC |
Fenwick HS |
|
Isaac |
Soto* |
Chicago |
Sunset Ridge CC |
Marist HS |
|
Diego |
Morales |
Chicago Heights |
Olympia Fields CC |
Marian Catholic HS |
|
Salome |
Diaz-Rojas |
Cicero |
River Forest CC |
Woodlands Academy |
|
Alex |
Taboada |
Cicero |
La Grange CC |
J. Sterling Morton East HS |
|
Sean |
Raadsen |
Crystal Lake |
Crystal Lake CC |
Crystal Lake South HS |
|
Joseph |
Vanderwiel |
Crystal Lake |
Bull Valley Golf Club |
Prairie Ridge HS |
|
Thomas |
Remi |
Darien |
Edgewood Valley CC |
Hinsdale South HS |
|
Alexander |
Agalliu |
Des Plaines |
North Shore CC |
Loyola Academy |
|
Mercedes |
Erdemsoyol |
Elgin |
Skokie CC |
Central HS |
|
Abraham |
Caballero |
Elmhurst |
River Forest CC |
York Community HS |
|
Samuel |
Hemmersmeier |
Elmhurst |
Butterfield CC |
Montini Catholic HS |
|
Joseph |
Rinchiuso |
Elmhurst |
Butterfield CC |
York Community HS |
|
Jalen |
Allred-Coleman |
Flossmoor |
Olympia Fields CC |
Homewood-Flossmoor HS |
|
Lissette |
Garcia |
Glenview |
Evanston Golf Club |
Glenbrook South HS |
|
Lucas |
Polizzotto |
Granger, IN |
The Dunes Club (MI) |
Penn HS |
|
John |
Collins |
Huntley |
Crystal Lake CC |
Huntley HS |
|
Gabriela |
Zych |
Itasca |
Medinah CC |
Lake Park HS |
|
Hailey |
Baffico |
Libertyville |
Knollwood Club |
Libertyville HS |
|
Izrael |
Lopez |
Libertyville |
Merit Club |
Libertyville HS |
|
Gabrielle |
Walton |
Lombard |
Glen Oak CC |
Glenbard East HS |
|
Anthony |
Davis |
Maywood |
River Forest CC |
Lane Tech College Prep HS |
|
Caroline |
Leavy |
Maywood |
Oak Park CC |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
|
Joseph |
Colella |
Medinah |
Medinah CC |
Lake Park HS |
|
Kayla |
Gorski |
Melrose Park |
River Forest CC |
West Leyden HS |
|
Ricardo |
Avila |
Midlothian |
Midlothian CC |
Bremen HS |
|
Madison |
Nestoras |
Naperville |
Naperville CC |
Naperville Central HS |
|
Nicholas |
Oblazny |
Naperville |
Cantigny Golf |
Naperville North HS |
|
Matthew |
Vertucio |
Niles |
North Shore CC |
Maine East HS |
|
Stephanie |
Martinez |
Norridge |
Bryn Mawr CC |
Lane Tech College Prep HS |
|
Gianina |
Montoro |
North Riverside |
Chicago Highlands Club |
Nazareth Academy |
|
Adam |
Lipnickas |
Northbrook |
Ravinia Green CC |
Glenbrook North HS |
|
Hugo |
Lechuga |
Northlake |
River Forest CC |
West Leyden HS |
|
Trenton |
Parker |
Oak Brook |
Chicago Highlands Club |
York Community HS |
|
Delaney |
Lim |
Oak Forest |
Midlothian CC |
Victor J. Andrew HS |
|
Hannah |
Stepek |
Oak Lawn |
Ridge CC |
Mother McAuley HS |
|
Savanna |
Manning |
Orland Park |
Crystal Tree Golf & CC |
Carl Sandburg HS |
|
Robert |
Rutledge |
Orland Park |
Midlothian CC |
Brother Rice HS |
|
Daniel |
Gallagher |
Palos Park |
Midlothian CC |
Marist HS |
|
Oscar |
Aponte |
Park City |
Skokie CC |
Warren Township HS |
|
Jack |
Conway |
Park Ridge |
Park Ridge CC |
Maine South HS |
|
Beatrice |
Poindexter |
Park Ridge |
Park Ridge CC |
Maine South HS |
|
Andrea |
Orozco |
Posen |
Edgewood Valley CC |
Bremen HS |
|
Holden |
Sullivan |
River Forest |
Oak Park CC |
Oak Park & River Forest HS |
|
Julia |
Kamysz |
Roselle |
Medinah CC |
Lake Park HS |
|
Sebastian |
De La Paz |
Schererville, IN |
Olympia Fields CC |
Lake Central HS |
|
Aranzazu |
Munoz |
South Holland |
Olympia Fields CC |
Thornwood HS |
|
Christopher |
Munoz |
South Holland |
Olympia Fields CC |
Thornwood HS |
|
Ingrid |
Quinteros |
Vernon Hills |
Ravinia Green CC |
Adlai E Stevenson HS |
|
Alexandra |
Manrriquez* |
Waukegan |
Ivanhoe Club |
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep |
|
Mya |
Weatherspoon* |
Waukegan |
Ivanhoe Club |
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep |
|
Charles |
McKerr |
Western Springs |
La Grange CC |
Lyons Township HS North |
|
John |
Pope |
Willowbrook |
Butterfield CC |
Hinsdale Central HS |
|
Logan |
Dubansky |
Wilmette |
Westmoreland CC |
New Trier HS |
| *WGA Caddie Academy participant | ||||