Students will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars
GLENVIEW, Ill. – Seventy-seven Chicago-area students have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following an initial series of selection interviews held online throughout the months of November and December.
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 this fall as Evans Scholars, with awarded universities to be finalized March 1. The Evans Scholarship is valued at an estimated $120,000 over four years. Winners are listed below and organized by hometown.
“These deserving young students epitomize what our Program has been about since its creation in 1930,” said WGA Chairman Kevin Buggy. “Their dedication, hard work and sacrifice is humbling, and we are honored to be able to help them pursue their dreams.”
The Evans Scholars selection meetings will continue to be held with applicants nationwide via Zoom through spring. When the 2020-21 selection meeting process is completed, an estimated 300 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 1,045 caddies are enrolled in 19 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars, and more than 11,320 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.
“These young students have all shown excellence in the classroom, in their communities, and on the golf course,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski. “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 $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 2021, the BMW Championship will be held at Caves Valley Golf Club from Aug. 23-29.
|
Name |
City |
High School Name |
Sponsoring Club |
|
Ana Lohman-Meza |
Algonquin |
Harry D. Jacobs High School |
Crystal Lake Country Club |
|
Angelika Gasior |
Bensenville |
Fenton High School |
River Forest Country Club |
|
Alexis Serrano |
Berwyn |
Morton West High School |
Ridgemoor Country Club |
|
Daniel Shapiro |
Buffalo Grove |
Adlai E Stevenson High School |
Briarwood Country Club |
|
Carolina Frausto |
Buffalo Grove |
Buffalo Grove High School |
Skokie Country Club |
|
Daniel Shkembi |
Chicago |
Payton College Prep |
Oak Park Country Club |
|
Martin Krongo |
Chicago |
William Howard Taft High School |
Oak Park Country Club |
|
Muiz Aminu |
Chicago |
Lindblom Math & Science Academy High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Katherine Szydlo |
Chicago |
Northside College Preparatory High School |
Oak Park Country Club |
|
Jack Haneberg |
Chicago |
Payton College Prep |
Evanston Golf Club |
|
Brandon Monge |
Chicago |
Lane Tech High School |
Bryn Mawr Country Club |
|
William McMillin |
Chicago |
Saint Patrick High School |
Ridgemoor Country Club |
|
Jacob Chachaj |
Chicago |
Saint Patrick High School |
Ridgemoor Country Club |
|
Alen Hodzic |
Chicago |
North Shore Country Day School |
Shoreacres |
|
Josiah Shimandle |
Chicago |
Northside College Preparatory High School |
Bryn Mawr Country Club |
|
Ophelia Twerefour |
Chicago |
Von Steuben Metro Science High School |
Evanston Golf Club |
|
Cristian Garcia |
Chicago |
Fenwick High School |
Briarwood Country Club |
|
Malak Mekha |
Chicago |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
Evanston Golf Club |
|
Diogen Paskali |
Chicago |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
Lake Shore Country Club |
|
Diamond Russell |
Chicago |
Holy Trinity High School |
Ruth Lake Country Club |
|
John Gallagher |
Chicago |
Whitney Young High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Sarahi Ortega |
Chicago |
University of Chicago Lab School |
Glen Oak Country Club |
|
Jessica Olmos |
Chicago |
Trinity High School |
Glen Oak Country Club |
|
Edward Niewinski |
Chicago |
Notre Dame College Prep |
Ridgemoor Country Club |
|
Jason Cruz |
Chicago |
Fenwick High School |
Sunset Ridge Country Club |
|
Michael Capilla |
Chicago |
Saint Rita of Cascia High School |
Conway Farms Golf Club |
|
Claire Gainer |
Chicago |
Taft High School |
Bryn Mawr Country Club |
|
Daniel Gillerlain |
Chicago |
Marist High School |
Ridge Country Club |
|
Carla Flores |
Chicago |
Loyola Academy |
Indian Hill Club |
|
Alexander Bautista |
Chicago |
Deerfield Academy (MA) |
Exmoor Country Club |
|
Cesar Gaona |
Chicago |
Marist High School |
Conway Farms Golf Club |
|
Jafet Beltran |
Chicago |
Culver Academies |
Onwentsia Club |
|
Diego Origel |
Chicago Heights |
Bloom High School |
Olympia Fields Country Club |
|
Alessandra Zuleta |
Cicero |
Fenwick High School |
Glen View Club |
|
Maria von Aulock |
Des Plaines |
Maine West High School |
Park Ridge Country Club |
|
Padraig Toole |
Elmhurst |
York Community High School |
Hinsdale Golf Club |
|
Jasper Civella |
Elmhurst |
York Community High School |
Medinah Country Club |
|
Anthony Lococo |
Elmhurst |
York Community High School |
Butterfield Country Club |
|
Isabelle Pacurar |
Elmwood Park |
Taft High School |
Oak Park Country Club |
|
Frida Soto |
Evanston |
Evanston Township High School |
Skokie Country Club |
|
Ryan Rosenberg |
Evergreen Park |
Marist High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Sarah Hughes |
Evergreen Park |
Marist High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Nellie O'Grady |
Evergreen Park |
Evergreen Park High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Jessica Smith |
Frankfort |
Lincoln-Way East High School |
Olympia Fields Country Club |
|
Jakub Drwal |
Franklin Park |
West Leyden High School |
River Forest Country Club |
|
Zachary Bertrand |
Glen Ellyn |
Glenbard West High School |
Glen Oak Country Club |
|
Jalen Meriweather |
Gurnee |
Warren Township High School |
Exmoor Country Club |
|
Kyle Connors |
Highland Park |
Highland Park High School |
Exmoor Country Club |
|
Marissa Galvan |
Highland Park |
Highland Park High School |
Lake Shore Country Club |
|
Erick De La Cruz |
Highwood |
Highland Park High School |
Exmoor Country Club |
|
Christopher Araujo |
Hinsdale |
Hinsdale Central High School |
Butterfield Country Club |
|
Nicole Dunaway |
Homer Glen |
Lockport Township High School East |
Hinsdale Golf Club |
|
Gracie Berthoud |
Johnsburg |
Johnsburg High School |
The Ivanhoe Club |
|
Ruben Martinez |
Lake Bluff |
Lake Forest High School |
Shoreacres |
|
Katelyn Gikas |
Lockport |
Lockport East High School |
Glen Oak Country Club |
|
Krista Gikas |
Lockport |
Lockport East High School |
Glen Oak Country Club |
|
Thomas Gikas |
Lockport |
Saint Rita of Cascia High School |
Glen Oak Country Club |
|
Abby Noonen |
Mokena |
Lincoln Way East High School |
Crystal Tree Golf & Country Club |
|
Christopher Goff |
Naperville |
Naperville North High School |
Naperville Country Club |
|
Jose Bandera |
North Chicago |
North Chicago Community High School |
Briarwood Country Club |
|
Ella Lim |
Oak Forest |
Victor J Andrew High School |
Midlothian Country Club |
|
Daniel Wallace |
Oak Lawn |
Brother Rice High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Lauren Burke |
Oak Lawn |
Oak Lawn High School |
The Beverly Country Club |
|
Dylan Manning |
Orland Park |
Carl Sandburg High School |
Crystal Tree Golf & Country Club |
|
Maeve Moran |
Palos Heights |
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School |
Crystal Tree Golf & Country Club |
|
Jeffrey Johnson |
Palos Hills |
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School |
Midlothian Country Club |
|
Luke Christy |
Palos Park |
Saint Ignatius College Prep |
Midlothian Country Club |
|
Aldo Flores |
Park City |
Warren Township High School |
Indian Hill Club |
|
Marisa Jodway |
Pingree Grove |
Hampshire High School |
Elgin Country Club |
|
Charles Vietzen |
River Forest |
Oak Park & River Forest High School |
Oak Park Country Club |
|
Grace Enright |
South Elgin |
Saint Edward Central Catholic High School |
St. Charles Country Club |
|
Thomas McQueeny |
South Elgin |
Saint Edward Central Catholic High School |
Elgin Country Club |
|
Itzel Ocampo Estrada |
Vernon Hills |
Vernon Hills High School |
Briarwood Country Club |
|
Troy Pilafas |
Villa Park |
Willowbrook High School |
Butterfield Country Club |
|
Katie Torres |
Waukegan |
Saint Joseph Catholic Academy |
The Ivanhoe Club |
|
Aymara Avilez |
Waukegan |
Waukegan High School |
Northmoor Country Club |
|
Ryan Fitzgerald |
West Chicago |
Marmion Academy |
Cantigny Golf |