Two Philadelphia student caddies awarded full college scholarships

WGA Caddie Academy recipients will begin school as Evans Scholars this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Two student caddies from Philadelphia have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following selection meeting interviews held Feb. 4 at Cedarbrook Country Club in Blue Bell, Penn.

Destiny Bowens and Jada Fagan, both high school seniors at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, will begin college in the fall as Evans Scholars. They will enroll at one of the Evans Scholars Program’s partner universities, including Penn State University, with final school placements to be determined this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, students must meet the Program’s four selection criteria, demonstrating a strong caddie record, outstanding academics, financial need and exceptional character.

Both recipients are graduates of the WGA Caddie Academy, a summer program that provides caddie opportunities and college preparation for high-achieving high school students.

After beginning in the Philadelphia area, Bowens and Fagan continued their Caddie Academy experience at clubs in the Chicago area, where they lived together and caddied daily for seven weeks. Bowens caddied at Northmoor Country Club in Highland Park, while Fagan caddied at Skokie Country Club in Glencoe.

“These two students represent the very best of what caddying can offer,” said Andy Langan, WGA Chairman and a member of Skokie Country Club. “I’ve had the opportunity to see Jada firsthand as they built confidence and grew through their Caddie Academy experience. Seeing that progression culminate in an Evans Scholarship for all of these students is incredibly meaningful.”

With chapters in Chicago, Columbus, Minneapolis, Seattle and Washington, D.C., the Caddie Academy includes work opportunities, test preparation, field trips and guest speakers. Since 2015, more than 210 Caddie Academy graduates have earned the Evans Scholarship.

“Before the Caddie Academy, I had never imagined myself leaving home for the summer or stepping into a completely new world,” said Destiny Bowens. “Caddying pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me grow in confidence, independence and purpose. Earning the Evans Scholarship means I can continue that journey in college.”

Currently, a record 1,260 caddies are enrolled at 27 universities across the country as Evans Scholars, including 43 at Penn State. More than 12,575 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.

Evans Scholar selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. When the 2025-26 selection meeting process is complete, an estimated 380 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 96 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 43,500 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 2026, the BMW Championship will be held at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, from Aug. 18-23.