Students will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Two students from the Pittsburgh area have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a prestigious full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following a final selection interview held online on Feb 10.

Marissa Boyer of North Huntingdon caddied at Pittsburgh Field Club and is a senior at Norwin High School. She will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar at Penn State University, where she plans to study elementary education and Spanish.

Marissa credited a part of her development as a young woman to caddying. She said, “[Caddying] has helped me learn to multitask and find a balance between work and school. It’s also helped me become the strong and independent young woman that I am today.”

Lucas Silvestre Cesar of Pittsburgh caddied at St. Clair Country Club in Pittsburgh and is a senior at Upper Saint Clair High School. He’ll begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar at Penn State University, where he plans to study finance and economics.

Lucas and his family moved to the United States from Brazil in 2015, and his hardworking and outgoing personality helped him make friends immediately. “My boss and the other caddies became my American family,” he said.

“These deserving students have shown dedication, hard work and sacrifice, and we are honored to help them pursue their dreams of a college education,” said WGA Chairman Kevin Buggy.

The selection meeting held via Zoom was one of more than 20 such meetings the Evans Scholars Foundation is holding virtually across the country through the spring. When the 2020-21 selection meeting process is completed by April, an estimated 300 caddies nationwide 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.

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 third of four PGA TOUR Playoff events 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.