GOLF, IL – The Evans Scholars Foundation has opened its first Scholarship House at the University of Oregon, organization leaders have announced. This fall, 31 Evans Scholars are now living in community in a Scholarship House, at 1910 University Street in Eugene. The House has served as a fraternity and more recently, a bed and breakfast. It is the first Evans Scholarship House in the Pacific Northwest and the Program’s first new chapter since 1987.
The Oregon Scholars are among a record group of 935 students now attending 20 top universities across the country on an Evans Scholarship, a full tuition and housing college scholarship for golf caddies.
Scholars are chosen based on demonstrating a strong caddie record, excellent academics, financial need and outstanding leadership and character. The scholarship is valued at $100,000 over four years. The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Golf, Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. It is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
“We are thrilled that Evans Scholars in the Pacific Northwest now are able to experience Scholarship House living, an integral component of the Evans Scholarship,” says WGA Chairman David Robinson. “This is a major milestone and a big part of our plan to grow the Evans Scholars Program from coast to coast.”
The opening of this Evans Scholars House at the University of Oregon is the result of the tireless efforts of many,” said Roger Thompson, Vice President of Enrollment Management with the university. “To say we are thrilled with the House for our Scholars is an understatement. All of us at the UO are deeply appreciative of the impact the Evans Scholars Foundation makes with students.”
Oregon Evans Scholars include caddies from the states of Oregon, Nevada and California. ESF leaders announced in early 2014 that the university had been selected as the site of a future Scholarship House.
Senior Hannah Rice, from Portland, is the first elected chapter president of the newly formed Oregon chapter. In the past year, she has helped lead her fellow Scholars in cleaning the House on weekends and meeting with Program leaders to plan the transition and create the chapter’s infrastructure.
“I have been so inspired by the Evans growth in Oregon,” she says. “We are making history, and I am honored to be able to help build a strong foundation for future classes.”
The opening of the Oregon Evans Scholarship House is just one part of the Foundation’s larger goal of having 1,000 Scholars in school by the year 2020. To achieve this, leaders are working to expand the Program from coast to coast, including opening Scholarship Houses at new universities, renovating and expanding current Scholarship Houses and growing caddie programs across the nation.
In recent years, ESF leaders have strengthened or renewed relationships with the University of Notre Dame, the University of Washington, the University of Kansas and Pennsylvania State University, where Scholars currently live together in residence halls. They are working to establish Evans Scholarship Houses at Washington, Penn State and Kansas in the coming years.