Education

Waverley & the Evans Scholars Program

Please click links below for an overview of the following:

• Alison Olson, Waverley Evans Scholar | Waverley' Caddie Program Article 
• Evans Scholarship Foundation Overview
  
• Waverley's Evans Scholars
  

Waverley Country Club has long been a strong supporter of the Evans Scholars Program (see description below).  Waverley has more Evans Alumni (44) than any other club in the Pacific Northwest and currently has several scholarship winners attending Oregon universities:

• Nicole Dolin - University of Oregon
• Matthew Parker - University of Oregon 
• Michael Gritzmacher – Oregon State University – Senior, Civil Engineering major
• Jacquelyn Ritacco – University of Oregon – Junior, International Studies major
• Cooper Roberts – Oregon State University – Junior, Nutrition major
• William Tooze – University of Oregon – Sophomore, Biology major

Nationally, growth of the Program is threatened by steadily rising costs of college tuition and housing that is surpassing the rate of inflation.  At the same time the Program has received a record number of applications. To optimize their budget, the Program has built a number of Scholarship Houses throughout the country.  These facilities house the Evans Scholars while they are attending school.  Currently, there are Scholarship Houses at the following Universities:

Colorado        Illinois                   Indiana                  Marquette
Miami            Michigan               Michigan State       Minnesota         
Missouri        Northern Illinois      Northwestern         Ohio State
Purdue          Wisconsin

The Program is currently planning for another Scholarship House in the Pacific Northwest.  The finalists are the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.

Waverley’s Board of Directors recently transferred fundraising responsibility for this worthwhile cause to the Waverley Historic Foundation.  The Foundation desires to increase the level of funding and will pursue initiatives designed to accomplish this purpose.

The Evans Scholars Program

The Evans Scholars Program provides full tuition and housing scholarships to deserving caddies across the country.  The idea was conceived in 1929 by famed golfer Charles “Chick” Evans, who asked the Western Golf Association (WGA), located in Chicago, Illinois, to administer the program.  The first two Evans Scholars enrolled at Northwestern University in 1930.  When the funds provided by Evans were exhausted, the WGA Directors perpetuated the program by funding it through personal contributions.  By the early 1940s, the Program was growing, and this funding process proved inadequate.  That is when the WGA began to solicit funds outside the Association. 

Currently, 855 caddies are attending college on Evans Scholarships and there are more than 9,400 Evans Alumni nationwide.   All recipients are expected to live up to the high standards in scholarship and leadership and to continue the tradition of excellence for which the program is known.  The Program’s funding comes from contributions made by more than 100,000 donors across the country.  Total cumulative contributions has surpassed $50 million.  In addition, the Evans Scholarship program is the sole beneficiary of the annual BMW Championship, the third of four events in the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedEx Cup.  This event has contributed nearly $50 million to the Program since its inception.