Evans Scholars Foundation

In 1916, Evans rose to fame by becoming the first amateur golfer to win the Western Amateur, Western Open, U.S. Amateur, and U.S. Open. As a result of those wins and other victories, Evans was given several thousand dollars in royalties for recording golf instructions for the Brunswick Record Company. In addition, he received royalties from a golf book written in 1921. If he accepted this money, he would have lost his amateur status. Evans' mother suggested he put the money to good use by sponsoring a scholarship fund for caddies. Evans himself was unable to finish his schooling at Northwestern University. Evans said his mother "wouldn't think of accepting my money unless we could arrange it to be trusted to furnish educations for deserving, qualified caddies." He also said his mother "pointed out that the money came from golf and thus should go back into golf. It was all her dream — her idea."{{cite book |title=Chick Evans' Golf Book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rXpYAAAAYAAJ |author=Evans, Charles |location=Chicago |year=1921 |publisher=Reilly & Lee (for Thos E Wilson) |access-date=April 14, 2013}}

Evans went to the Western Golf Association, an organization that conducted national golf championships, to get their support for his scholarship. The WGA initially declined Evans' request, stating that it was a golf organization interested only in running championships, most notably the Western Open. In 1929, Evans successfully lobbied the WGA to manage the scholarship on his behalf with the help of his longtime friend and prominent Chicago tax attorney, Carleton Blunt.{{cite web | title= Carleton Blunt, 82, Evans Scholars Official| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/05/08/carleton-blunt-82-evans-scholars-official/ |author= Chicago Tribune | location=Chicago | year= 1988 |publisher= The Tribune Company | access-date=January 1, 2014}}

In 1930, Evans' and his mother's dream became a reality when two caddies, Harold Fink and Jim McGinnis, were named the first two recipients of the Evans Scholarship. They enrolled at Northwestern, the same university where Evans himself had once been a student.{{cite web | title= Harold Fink, 74, Retired Rand Mcnally Exec| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/10/04/harold-fink-74-retired-rand-mcnally-exec/ |author= Chicago Tribune | location=Chicago | year= 1985|publisher= The Tribune Company | access-date=January 1, 2014}}

Until World War II, all Evans Scholars attended Northwestern, and, in 1940, the first Evans Scholarship House was established on the Evanston campus.{{cite web | title= A Facelift for the Evans Scholars House| url=http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2010/10/evans-scholars-house-facelift.html |author= White, Erin | location=Evanston | year= 2010 |publisher= Northwestern University | access-date=February 13, 2014}}

After Evans' initial investment in the Foundation had run out, Blunt, an avid golfer and philanthropist, agreed to continue to help raise money to send more caddies to college. The organization didn't seek outside funding until 1949, relying solely on the generosity of the Western Golf Association's Directors.

To help grow the program as Blunt raised additional funds for scholarship, the Western Golf Association hired Roland F. “Mac” McGuigan, Dean of Men at Northwestern and Faculty Advisor to the Northwestern Chapter of Evans Scholars, in 1949 to serve as its Educational Director.

Following World War II, the program grew dramatically.{{cite web | title= Evans Scholars Foundation| url=http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/bmw-championship/charity.html |author= Unknown | location=Unknown | year= 2014 |publisher= BMW North America | access-date=February 13, 2014}} In 1950, the Foundation sent just 84 caddies to college. By the end of the decade, the number of Scholars enrolled in college increased to 440 and a number of other Scholarship Houses had been established across the country.

As the number of scholarships grew so did the organization's presence on a number of college campus, mainly those in the Midwest. In total, there are 17 Scholarship Houses. In order of their founding, Evans Scholarship Houses can be found at: Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Michigan State University, Marquette University, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Missouri, Indiana University Bloomington, Miami University, University of Oregon, University of Kansas, University of Washington and Penn State University.{{Cite web|url=https://wgaesf.org/scholarship-houses/?shadowbox=0|title=WGA ESF {{!}} Scholarship Houses|website=WGA ESF {{!}} Scholarship Houses|language=en|access-date=2019-12-19}}

In 2013, The Evans Scholars Foundation sent Scholars to the University of Notre Dame. Their enrollment marked the first time the program has sent its caddies to the private university in South Bend, Indiana in nearly 50 years.

In 2020 the Western Golf Association announced they formed a new partnership with the University of Chicago, and would begin awarding at least four new Evans Scholarships per year .{{Cite web|last=RELATIONS|first=Submitted by DITTOE PUBLIC|date=2020-11-25|title=University of Chicago now part of Evans Scholars program|url=https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20201125/university-of-chicago-now-part-of-evans-scholars-program|access-date=2021-04-13|website=Daily Herald|language=en-US}}

Evans Scholars at the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois-Chicago, the University of Maryland and the University of Notre Dame live in designated residence halls on their respective campuses.

There are now 1,070 Scholars at 21 universities across the nation.{{cite web | title= ESF Sends Record 1,000 caddies to college | url=https://wgaesf.org/the-latest-news/chicago-area-evans-scholar-honored-as-leader-of-the-year |author=WGA ESF | location=Chicago | year= 2019 | access-date=August 25, 2020}} Since its founding, the Evans Scholars Foundation has invested more than $435 million in the college educations of more than 11,300 Alumni.{{cite web | title= WGA ESF: Fast Facts | url=http://www.wgaesf.org|author=unknown | location=unknown | year= 2019 | access-date=November 13, 2019}}

To qualify for an Evans Scholarship, a caddie must meet four key requirements. Candidates must have at least two years of outstanding caddying service. Candidates must have an excellent high school academic record, including high standardized test scores. Candidates must demonstrate significant financial need. Candidates must also receive letters of recommendation from club and high school officials attesting to the applicant's character. Candidates are personally interviewed at one of a series of Selection Meetings, co-hosted by the Western Golf Association and its affiliated country clubs.

Funding for the scholarships provided by the Evans Scholars Foundation comes from a variety of sources, including private donations, fundraising events and professional and amateur golf tournaments held across the country each year.

Since its founding in 1950, the Western Golf Association's Par Club has been one of the most important and substantial revenue streams for the Evans Scholars Foundation. There are more than 33,000 Par Club members, many of whom belong to the more than 460 WGA member clubs across the country.{{cite web | title= WGA ESF: Who We Are | url=https://wgaesf.org/content/par-club|author=WGA | location=WGA | year= 2019 | access-date=November 13, 2019}} In 2011, the Foundation launched its first Match Play Challenge campaign, in which a group of donors pooled together gifts of $50,000 and greater to match every gift of $2,500 and greater the Foundation received.

One of the Foundation's most notable fundraising events in recent years has been the Western Golf Association's Green Coat Gala, held annually in Chicago. Golf legends Curtis Strange, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Gary Player and Johnny Miller have all been honored at the gala.{{cite web | title= Green Coat Gala Raises Record Amount for Caddies | url=http://www.wgaesf.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=dwJTKiO0JgI8G&b=6021447&ct=14927949|author=unknown | location=Chicago | year= 2016 |publisher= WGA ESF | access-date=December 29, 2016}}

The Foundation is the benefiting charity of the BMW Championship (PGA Tour) and has received more than $35 million from the tournament since BMW became its title sponsor in 2007.{{cite web | title= BMW Continuing Title Sponsorship of BMW Championship | url=https://wgaesf.org/the-latest-news/bmw-continuing-title-sponsorship-of-bmw-championship|author= Staff | location=Chicago | year= 2019 |publisher= WGA ESF | access-date=August 18, 2019}} In addition to those proceeds, BMW has also agreed to give the program $100,000 if a player gets a hole-in-one during championship play as Steve Stricker did in 2012 at Crooked Stick Golf Club,{{cite web | title= Stricker records Hole-in-One| url=http://www.pgatour.com/tourreport/2012/09/stricker-records-hole-in-one.html/ | date= September 2012 |publisher= PGA Tour | access-date=February 13, 2014}} Hunter Mahan did during the 2013 BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club,{{cite web | title= Mahan wins car with ace at BMW Championship| url=http://golfweek.com/news/2013/sep/14/mahans-hole-one-bmw-championship-wins-car/|author= Rude, Jeff | location=New York City | year= 2013 |publisher= Golf Week | access-date=February 13, 2014}} Jordan Spieth did in 2015 during the BMW Championship at Conway Farms{{cite web | title= Jordan Spieth's ace paid off for Purdue Engineering student| url=http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/17511586/jordan-spieth-ace-paid-purdue-student-last-year-bmw-championship|author= Harig, Bob | location=Carmel, Indiana | year= 2016 |work= ESPN | access-date=December 29, 2016}} and Jason Day did it at the 2017 BMW Championship at Conway Farms.{{cite web | title= Jason Day Gives Back After BMW Ace, Finds Comfort With New Caddie | url=http://golfweek.com/2017/09/15/bmw-championship-jason-day-new-caddie-rickie-fowler/|author=Romine, Brentley | location=Lake Forest, Illinois | year= 2017 |publisher= Golfweek| access-date=October 27, 2017}}

Charity Navigator, a nonprofit organization that evaluates other charitable organizations across America based on criteria ranging from fiscal responsibility to accountability and transparency, has consistently given the Evans Scholars Foundation a four-star rating, the highest-possible rating.{{cite web | title= Evans Scholars Foundation| url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3679#.Uv4jsfldV8F|author= Charity Navigator | location=Glen Rock, NJ| year= 2013 |publisher= Charity Navigator | access-date=February 13, 2014}}

In 2013, the National Scholarship Providers Association, a group whose members include the Ford Foundation, the Magic Johnson Foundation and other notable nonprofits, named the Evans Scholars Foundation as its Scholarship Provider of the Year.{{cite web | title= National Scholarship Providers Association announces 2013 Scholarship Providers of the Year| url=http://www.fastweb.com/nfs/fastweb/static/press_releases/2013%20SPOY%20Press%20Release.pdf|author= Amy Weinstein | location=Boulder, CO| year= 2013 |publisher= National Scholarship Providers Association | access-date=February 14, 2014}}

Several Evans Scholars Alumni have gone on to excel in the business world and other fields. They include CEOs Sam Allen of John Deere, Thomas Falk of Kimberly-Clark, former longtime chief of Nuveen Investments Timothy Schwertfeger,{{cite web | title= Evans Scholars: The Loop of their Lives| url=http://golfweek.com/news/2010/sep/14/evans-scholars-loop-their-lives/?print|author= Rude, Jeff | location=New York City | year= 2010 |publisher= GolfWeek | access-date=February 13, 2014}} Iridium Communications CEO Matt Desch,{{cite web | title= From Software to Satellites| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/jobs/27boss.html|author= Desch, Matthew J. | location=New York City | year= 2011 |work= The New York Times | access-date=February 13, 2014}} and oil and gas magnate George Solich.{{cite web | title= Oil and gas magnate George Solich has knack for winning move| url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_23607495/oil-and-gas-magnate-george-solich-has-knack|author= Migoya, David | location=Denver | year= 2013 |publisher= The Denver Post | access-date=February 13, 2014}} John Schubeck, who anchored local newscasts in Los Angeles, won a scholarship while at the University of Michigan.

Former Golfweek senior writer Jeff Rude{{cite web | title= Jeff Rude| url=http://golfweek.com/staff/jeff-rude/|author= Golfweek | location=Unknown |publisher= Golfweek | access-date=February 14, 2014}} and ESPN golf writer Bob Harig {{cite web| title= Caddies on Campus| url= http://www.linksmagazine.com/best_of_golf/caddies-on-campus/| author= Bob Harig| location= Hilton Head Island| publisher= Links Magazine| access-date= February 14, 2014| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120623222035/http://www.linksmagazine.com/best_of_golf/caddies-on-campus| archive-date= June 23, 2012| url-status= dead}} have written about their experiences as Evans Scholars.

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• [https://wgaesf.org/a-life-changing-opportunity The Evans Scholars Foundation's website]

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Category:Caddies

Category:Golf associations

Category:Scholarships in the United States

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Illinois

Category:Glenview, Illinois

Category:Sports foundations based in the United States