Grosse Pointe and St. Clair Shores students receive Chick Evans Scholarship

GROSSE POINTES — The Western Golf Association’s Chick Evans Scholarship has awarded 36 Michigan high school seniors a full four-year housing and tuition scholarship through caddying.

The scholarship is the nation’s largest privately funded scholarship program and is awarded to golf caddies all over the country. Recipients must have a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrate financial need and show outstanding character.

This year, six students from the Grosse Pointe and St. Clair Shores areas have been awarded the scholarship. Gage Kolley (Lake Shore), Madeline Mazawey (Bishop Foley Catholic), Carter Cole (Grosse Pointe North), Caleb Kosel (Grosse Pointe North), Christopher O’Connell (Grosse Pointe North) and Jack Ryan (Grosse Pointe North) are six of an estimated 360 caddies to receive the scholarship nationwide.

“I honestly did not think I was going to get it,” Mazawey said. “Then I got an email that I was a finalist … and we’re here now.”

The Chick Evans Scholarship rewards hardworking high school caddies, even if the caddies don’t come from a golf background. It shows that one doesn’t need to be a golfer to be an excellent caddie.

Golf was new to Cole when he started caddying.

“If you asked me what a bogey was, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. … Now? I love golf,” Cole said.

Chick Evans highlights and spreads the word about the impact that caddying can have on a young person’s life.

“I’m more independent, more responsible, I became a harder worker because of it. … I’ve learned to hone in on my social skills,” Cole said. “Its impact on me is literally life-changing.”

Caddying can also be a way to make connections. These high schoolers have not only been caddying for years already, but they’ve also had the ability to get their names out there and become people whom club members want to be on the course with.

“I really like talking with the members and I think they’ve taught me a lot,” Mazawey said. “A lot of (the members) are really successful business men and women and it’s nice to learn about things from them.”

The impact that a full scholarship has on these families truly is life-changing. The pressure that it takes off the students and their support systems is immense.

“The scholarship has just been a miracle for our family,” O’Connell said. “My mom, she’s really the one that provides everything for our family. … It’s a great relief for me and her to have that college experience.”

On a personal level, O’Connell also highlighted how much caddying has improved his social skills. He’s now having a much easier time in all aspects of his life thanks to skills he’s picked up on the golf course.

“It’s much easier to talk to people … inside of class or outside of class,” O’Connell said. “(My social skills) just kept getting better and better. … It’s really great.”

Not only is this a full scholarship, but it’s a full scholarship available to prominent Big Ten universities.

“I get a free ride to either MSU or U of M,” Cole said. “I don’t think I would be going to either of those schools if it wasn’t for this scholarship. … It feels unreal.”

The scholarship is a great opportunity for recipients to study a passion at a top university.

“I want to become a neurologist when I’m older,” Ryan said. “I was given this scholarship and I’m going to work … and do the best that I possibly can.”

The 2025 recipients want to encourage the next generation of caddies.

“I would tell anybody to go and caddie and go out for the scholarship,” Mazawey said. “Even without the scholarship, caddying is such an amazing job. … I can’t even believe it.”

A record 1,130 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the country as Evans Scholars, according to the Western Golf Association.