Finalists interviewed at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Illinois

WILMETTE, IL – Ten Chicago-area students have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following a final selection interview held at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Illinois, on Dec. 7.

Each caddie has a unique story to tell, reflecting 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 2020 as Evans Scholars, with awarded universities to be finalized this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at an estimated $120,000 over four years. Winners are listed below and are organized by hometown.

“Each of these deserving Evans Scholars epitomizes what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman Frank Morley. “Their dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help them pursue their dreams.”

The selection meeting at Westmoreland is one of more than 20 such meetings the Evans Scholars Foundation will hold across the country through the spring. When the 2019-20 selection meeting process is completed by April, an estimated 285 caddies 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. One of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

Currently, a record 1,010 caddies are enrolled in 18 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,050 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.

“These young men and women have shown excellence in the classroom and in their communities, as well as on the golf course,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA President and CEO. “We welcome them to the Evans Scholars family.”

Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by 32,500 golfers across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $14 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.

 

Name

City

Sponsoring Club

High School

Megan Gallian

Chicago

Bryn Mawr Country Club

Lane Tech College Prep

Emma Gallian

Chicago

Bryn Mawr Country Club

Lane Technical HS

Andrew Gutierrez

Chicago

Lake Shore Country Club

Saint Ignatius College Prep

Valentine Jacobi

Chicago

Sunset Ridge Country Club

St. Ignatius College Prep

Aldo Malaquias

Chicago

Exmoor Country Club

St. Ignatius College Prep

Jade Nguyen

Chicago

Bryn Mawr Country Club

Francis W. Parker

Nathan Gutierrez

Glenview

Glen View Club

Glenbrook South HS

Andrew Slivka

Lincolnshire

Ravinia Green Country Club

Adlai E. Stevenson HS

Jensen Genyk

Park Ridge

Park Ridge Country Club

Maine South High School

Jessica Fragoso

Waukegan

Northmoor Country Club

Cristo Rey St. Martin