Twenty-four Ohio high school seniors were scheduled to gather at Scioto Country Club in Upper Arlington on Thursday, Jan. 7, for the final round of interviews for the Chick Evans Scholarship awarded by the Evans Scholars Foundation. Each finalist is a caddie with a unique story to tell, reflecting the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record; excellent academics; demonstrated financial need; and outstanding character.
The Ohio candidates include Evan Beckmeyer, Cincinnati (Cincinnati Country Club, St. Xavier High School); Ryan Bengel, Cincinnati (Western Hills Country Club, Elder High School); Rachel Berger, Milford (Terrace Park Country Club, Milford High School); Caleb Blanchong, Wauseon (Inverness Club, Wauseon High School); Ethan Carver-Dews, Cincinnati (Clovernook Country Club, North College Hill High School); Austin DiPaolo, South Euclid (Mayfield Sand Ridge Club, Saint Ignatius High School); Daniel Hanson, Cincinnati (Clovernook Country Club, St. Xavier High School); Connor Higgins, Amelia (Coldstream Country Club, Archbishop McNicholas High School); Paul Jaehnen, Amelia (Coldstream Country Club, New Richmond High School); Aidan Keller, Burlington (Kenwood Country Club, Randall K. Cooper High School); Seth Keller, Burlington (Kenwood Country Club, Randall K. Cooper High School); Nathaniel Kuhn, Toledo (Inverness Club, Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School); Nikola Kurbatfinski, Reynoldsburg (Columbus Country Club, Reynoldsburg High School eSTEM Academy); Sean Lantry, Mason (Heritage Club, William Mason High School); Christopher Martini, Cincinnati (Clovernook Country Club, La Salle High School); Devin Moriarty, Mount Orab (Kenwood Country Club, Western Brown High School); Samuel Sander, Sylvania (Sylvania Country Club, Southview High School); Quinci Spencer, Canton (Brookside Country Club, Perry High School); Dean Steele, Toledo (Sylvania Country Club, Whitmer High School); Jacob Traver, Monroe, Michigan (Inverness Club, Monroe High School); Riley Vanderkaay, Kettering (Moraine Country Club, Kettering Fairmount High School); Brooklyn Walczak, Vermilion (Elyria Country Club, Vermilion High School); Brett Wedding, Dayton (Dayton Country Club, Oakwood High School); and Luke West, Kettering (Moraine Country Club, Kettering Fairmount High School).
The Chick Evans Scholarships are administered by the Evans Scholars Foundation and supported by the Western Golf Association, which joined with legendary amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans to establish the caddie scholarship program in 1930.
During the selection meeting, ESF Trustees, WGA Directors, Evans Scholars Alumni and other supporters will interview each of the finalists seeking to capture a spot in the nation’s largest caddie scholarship program.
The full tuition and housing college scholarship is valued at an estimated $80,000 over four years. Candidates will be notified as to whether they are awarded the Evans Scholarship about one week following their selection meeting interviews.
The Ohio recipients will attend one of 14 Scholarship Houses across the country.
Currently, 910 caddies are enrolled in 19 colleges across the nation as Evans Scholars. When the 2015-16 selection meeting process is completed, more than 250 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship and will begin college in the fall of 2016. More than a dozen selection meetings will be held across the country.
“These young men and women have excelled in academics and in service to their schools and communities,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA president and CEO. “They’ve been identified as the best of the many candidates we’ve had apply for the Evans Scholarship, and we look forward to welcoming them for their interviews at Scioto Country Club.”
The scholarships are funded by more than 27,600 Evans Scholars Par Club members nationwide, Evans Scholars Alumni and proceeds from WGA-conducted tournaments, including the BMW Championship.
To learn more about the WGA and ESF, visit www.wgaesf.org.