NEW PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED WITH EVANS TO BOLSTER WESTCHESTER AND LONG ISLAND YOUTH CADDIE OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPAND CADDIE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR AREA YOUTH
Nov. 17, 2020
Glenview, IL & Elmsford, NY – The Evans Scholars Foundation, the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund and the Long Island Caddie Scholarship Fund have formed a long-term partnership to grow youth caddie opportunities, leaders announced today.
The organizations will work together to promote and preserve youth caddie opportunities at clubs represented by the Westchester and Long Island Caddie Scholarship Funds, as well as expand the amount of scholarship funding available to caddies from those clubs.
“The Evans Scholars Foundation is committed to growing youth caddie opportunities across the country, as we believe that it is the best summer job available for a young person,” said WGA Chairman Kevin Buggy. “This new partnership allows us to work together with two storied organizations to pursue this important goal.”
The organizations will collaborate to expand their network of influential volunteer leaders from area clubs who can advocate for youth caddie opportunities and raise funds for caddie scholarships.
“The ability for caddies to spend four hours with a successful adult on the golf course represents a special opportunity that doesn’t exist with other summer jobs,” said Alan Nahoum, president of the Westchester Golf Association Caddie Scholarship Fund. “The fact that a college scholarship could be earned at the end of your time as a caddie makes that opportunity even more valuable.”
Full tuition and housing Evans Scholarships awarded to caddies from Westchester and Long Island clubs are cosponsored as Westchester and Long Island Evans Scholarships, respectively. For the 2020-21 academic year, there are nine Westchester Evans Scholars and eight Long Island Evans Scholars in school.
“I know my experiences caddying at Garden City Country Club as a young man helped shape me as a person, and I owe much of my success today to the lessons I learned as a caddie,” said Michael Sullivan, president of the Long Island Caddie Scholarship Fund. “As we all look for ways to preserve the game for the next generation, youth caddying is also one of the most powerful ways to cultivate the golfers and club members of the future.”
As part of the partnership, the organizations will work on a major gifts initiative to raise funds to support current and future co-sponsored Westchester and Long Island Evans Scholarships – as well as increase the number of traditional Westchester and Long Island Caddie Scholarships awarded annually.
“COVID-19 has created challenges and opportunities for youth caddies in the Met area and all across the country,” said Patrick McCormack, East Regional Chair for the Evans Scholars Foundation. “We believe that by integrating the resources of our powerful organizations, we will be able to create a pathway for more young men and women to learn life skills on the golf course as caddies and change the trajectory of their futures through college scholarships.”
Long Island Evans Scholars currently in school
Alex Cifuentes – Rockville Links Club – Penn State University ‘23
Brigham Hancock – Shinnecock Hills Golf Club – University of Notre Dame ‘24
Taylor Kong – Wheatley Hills Golf Club – Purdue University ‘24
David Oullette – Garden City Golf Club – Ohio State University ‘24
Camden Sisler – Friar’s Head – Northwestern University ‘24
Matthew Sledjeski – National Golf Links of America – Indiana University ‘23
John Surlis – Southward Ho Country Club – Northwestern University ‘21
Ryan Telese – The Creek – Penn State University ‘22
Westchester Evans Scholars currently in school
Haley Bernier – Brooklawn Country Club – Penn State University ‘23
John Kane – Country Club of Fairfield – University of Michigan ‘23
Alex Lipari – Winged Foot Golf Club – Purdue University ‘24
Caroline McMullen – Wee Burn Country Club – University of Notre Dame ‘23
Isaiah Merced – Brooklawn Country Club – Miami University ‘23
Jose Reyes – Rockrimmon Country Club – Miami University ‘22
Alex Vasapolli – Wykagyl Country Club – Miami University ‘22
Grant Worthington – Brooklawn Country Club – University of Notre Dame ‘21
Jack Zona – Quaker Ridge Golf Club – Marquette University ‘23
To learn more about this partnership, please contact Matt Starr, Senior Director for the Evans Scholars Foundation at 630-915-4446 or starr@wgaesf.org or Johanna Gavin, Director of the MGA Foundation at 914-347-2340 or jgavin@mgagolf.org.
About the Evans Scholars Foundation | Western Golf Association:
Since 1930, the Evans Scholars Foundation has provided full tuition and housing scholarships to deserving caddies. More than 11,300 Alumni have graduated as Evans Scholars, representing more than $435 million in tuition and housing costs. There are currently 1,045 Evans Scholars attending 19 universities across the country. The Western Golf Association has conducted championships for professional and amateur golfers since 1899. Today, it is a driving force in the game of golf, raises funds and awareness for the Evans Scholars Program and promotes youth caddie opportunities.
About the Westchester & Long Island Caddie Scholarship Funds:
For more than 60 years, the Westchester Golf Association and Long Island Caddie Scholarship Funds have provided need-based financial assistance to deserving caddies, and others who work in service to golf, in pursuit of a higher education. Since the founding of the two scholarship programs, more than 3,600 caddie scholarships have been awarded, totaling more than $25 million. There are nearly 400
Westchester and Long Island Caddie Scholars in school today, receiving more than $1,108,900 in scholarship aid for the 2020-21 academic year. These scholars represent 92 clubs in the Met Area and attend 159 different colleges, universities, and institutions across the world.
Media contact:
Amy Fuller
VP, Communications
WGA/ESF
fuller@wgaesf.org
(847) 724-4600