GOLF, IL – Twenty-three high school seniors from the state of Michigan have been awarded the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship, a full tuition and housing college scholarship, beginning this fall.
Evans Scholars are golf caddies who were selected based on four criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
The students, whose names are listed below, were awarded scholarships to either the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor or Michigan State University in East Lansing, where they will live in the Evans Scholarship House on campus. The scholarship is valued at more than $70,000 over four years.
The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Golf, Illinois, has sponsored the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. It is among the nation’s largest privately funded scholarship programs.
In Michigan, the Golf Association of Michigan co-sponsors the program with the WGA/ESF. Recipients were chosen after individual candidate interviews. Additional scholarships may be awarded in the spring.
“These young men and women have been outstanding students in the classroom and leaders in both their schools and communities,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA president and CEO. “We welcome them to the Evans Scholars family and know they will continue their success as college students.”
“The selection process for Evans Scholars is very demanding, and our new Scholars have demonstrated excellence as caddies, students and participants in their schools and communities,” said Brian Mills, chair of the Evans Scholars Program in the state of Michigan. “The Evans Scholarship is truly a life-changing opportunity for the deserving young men and women who will now be able to realize their dream of earning a college education.”
Currently, 835 caddies are enrolled in colleges across the nation as Evans Scholars, including 61 at the University of Michigan and 60 at Michigan State. More than 9,600 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars – including 720 from Michigan and 787 from Michigan State – since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans, Jr.
Scholarship funds come mostly from contributions by 45,000 golfers across the country who are members of the WGA Evans Scholars Par Club. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $4 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 Evans Scholars. Visit www.wgaesf.org for more information.
Listed below are the Chick Evans Scholarship recipients, who were awarded scholarships to the University of Michigan or Michigan State University beginning fall 2013, as well as their hometowns, high schools and sponsoring golf or country clubs.
Name | University | Hometown | High School | Sponsoring Club |
Alexander Arnold | Michigan | Grosse Pointe Woods | Grosse Pointe North High School | Lochmoor Club |
Andi Bello | Michigan | Troy | International Academy | Bloomfield Hills Country Club |
Jacob Colley | Michigan State | Livonia | Adlai E. Stevenson | Western Golf and Country Club |
Jolene Cook | Michigan | Grandville | Grandville High School | Kent Country Club |
Matthew Dunaj | Michigan | St. Joseph | St. Joseph High School | Point O’Woods Golf and Country Club |
Gerald Helstowski | Michigan State | Riverview | Riverview Community High School | Meadowbrook Country Club |
Jonathan Kontorousis | Michigan | Fenton | Fenton High School | Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club |
Sean Larson | Michigan | Canton | Plymouth High School | Meadowbrook Country Club |
Forrest Lundgren | Michigan | Harbor Springs | Harbor Springs High School | Wequetonsing Golf Club |
Danny Mak | Michigan | Grosse Pointe Woods | Grosse Pointe North High School | Lochmoor Club |
Jonathan Martindale | Michigan | Redford | Washtenaw Technical Middle College | Oakland Hills Country Club |
Nicholas Michetti | Michigan | Rochester Hills | Brother Rice High School | Greak Oaks Country Club |
Mafeyi Ogundipe | Michigan | Ferndale | University of Detroit Jesuit High School | Plum Hollow Country Club |
Kenneth O’Hanlon | Michigan | Southfield | Wylie E. Groves | Birmingham Country Club |
Logan Pratt | Michigan | Detroit | University of Detroit Jesuit High School | Detroit Golf Club |
Bradley Sanford | Michigan | Grosse Pointe Farms | Grosse Pointe South High School | Lochmoor Club |
Ryan Scott | Michigan State | Waterford | Waterford Kettering High School | Orchard Lake Country Club |
Jonas Sese | Michigan | Clarkston | Clarkston High School | Oakland Hills Country Club |
Brian Staniszewski | Michigan State | Macomb | Dakota High School | Red Run Golf Club |
Stanislaw Trybula | Michigan State | South Lyon | South Lyon East High School | Meadowbrook Country Club |
Krystal Whitten | Michigan State | Mason | Lighthouse Christian Academy | Country Club of Lansing |
Ryan Wietchy | Michigan State | Sterling Heights | Adlai E. Stevenson High School | Great Oaks Country Club |
Steven Zak | Michigan State | Grosse Pointe Woods | Grosse Pointe North High School | Lochmoor Club |
Date: 2/4/2013