The Evans Scholars Foundation celebrated the opening of its first Scholarship House at the University of Washington on Sept. 23.
This fall, 24 Evans Scholars will be living in community in a Scholarship House at 2104 NE 45th Street, in Seattle. It is the second Evans Scholarship House to be established in the Pacific Northwest, with the first opening at the University of Oregon in Eugene in 2016.
The Washington Scholars are among a record group of 985 students attending 18 leading universities nationwide on an Evans Scholarship, a full tuition and housing college scholarship provided to golf caddies, this year.
Scholars are chosen based on demonstrating a strong caddie record, excellent academics, financial need and outstanding leadership and character. The Western Golf Association, headquartered in Golf, Illinois, has supported the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930; it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
“We’re thrilled that Evans Scholars at the University of Washington are now able to experience Scholarship House living, an integral component of the Evans Scholarship,” said WGA Chairman Frank Morley. “This is a major milestone and a big part of our plan to grow the Evans Scholars Program from coast to coast.”
More than 230 caddies have received Evans Scholarships to the University of Washington, beginning in the 1950s. They have lived in student housing on campus; this is the first time Scholars live together in the same building. Their new home, which previously served as student housing, began as a sorority more than 100 years ago across the street from its current location.
Washington Evans Scholars include caddies from the states of Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Montana, California and Utah, as well as British Columbia. The House will be able to hold up to 40 Evans Scholars.
“Living and learning communities are a significant factor in the success of college students,” said Mark Richards, university provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “They cultivate public service and leadership among their members who share interests, living space and meals. Now, thanks to the generosity of the Evans Scholars Foundation and its supporters, another outstanding group of UW students will live, learn and thrive as a cohort.”
John Marks of Bothell, Washington, is the chapter’s first elected president. A senior majoring in business administration who caddied at Inglewood Golf Club, Marks has helped his fellow Scholars clean the House over the past year and has been meeting with Program leaders to plan the transition and create the chapter’s infrastructure.
“Seeing the growth of the Evans Scholars Program in Washington has been very inspiring,” he said. “We’re making history with the opening of the new Scholarship House, and I’m honored to help take the lead in building a strong community living foundation that will be passed on to future classes of Scholars.”
The opening of the Washington Evans Scholarship House is one part of the Foundation’s larger goal of having 1,000 Scholars in school by the year 2020. In conjunction with this milestone, leaders are working to grow the Program from coast to coast, including opening Scholarship Houses at new universities and expanding caddie and networking programs for students and Alumni.
In addition to Washington, Program leaders opened a Scholarship House at the University of Kansas earlier this month and plan to open a House at Penn State University next year.
