Four Cristo Rey Philadelphia students awarded Evans Scholarships

New Scholars will begin school next fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Four students from Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School have been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies — following a selection meeting interview on Dec. 13.

LilyRose McGraw, Laila Mitchell, Valerie Victor and Darlie Valmyr, all from Philadelphia, will begin college in the fall of 2025 as Evans Scholars, with their awarded universities to be announced this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, each student must meet the Program’s four selection criteria and show a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.

The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, oversees the Evans Scholars Program, one of golf’s favorite charities and the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

“Since our founding, our Program has changed the lives of caddies who have proven their dedication in the classroom, on the golf course and in their communities,” said WGA Chairman Steve Colnitis. “We are proud to welcome this exceptional group to the Evans Scholars family.”

All four students were participants of the WGA Caddie Academy Eastern chapter – a special summer program run by the WGA that provides caddie opportunities to promising high school students. With seven branches nationwide, 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 three summers, participants become eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship. The group caddied at Barrington Hills Country Club in the Chicago area.

Since 2012, more than 150 graduates of the WGA Caddie Academy have been awarded an Evans Scholarship.

Darlie Valmyr, who was born in Haiti, moved with her family to Philadelphia after being displaced by the earthquake in 2010. “When moving to America, I struggled to learn a new language and had to adapt to a lifestyle I was unfamiliar with,” she explains. “This huge life transformation prompted my discomfort with the idea of change.”

Despite this, she pushed herself to begin caddying – a job that resulted in a life-changing opportunity. “Caddying allowed me to come outside of my comfort zone,” she continues. “It gave me a sense of professionalism that I can carry with me throughout any job I have in the future.”

In college, Valmyr plans to study psychology, thanks to a conversation with a golfer who spoke about their career in psychology. “With the assistance of my mentors, I will pursue the same path,” she says. “I don’t want others to be as afraid of change as I once was.”

Currently, a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the country as Evans Scholars – including 42 at Penn State University in State College. More than 12,285 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

“We are thrilled for all our recently awarded Evans Scholars, and we look forward to the great things they will accomplish at universities across the country beginning this fall,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski.

Evans Scholar selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through the winter. When the 2024-25 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 360 caddies from across the country are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship.

Evans Scholars have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and a 98 percent graduation rate. An estimated 40 percent are first-generation college students, and 95 percent are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduating.

Funds for the Evans Scholarship 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, benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2025, the BMW Championship will be held at Caves Valley Golf Club near Baltimore, Maryland, from Aug. 12-17.