Classic Will Raise Funds For Evans Caddie Scholars
By Rebecca Gaona, NJSGA P.J. Boatwright Intern
More than 100 Evans Scholars alumni, administrators, NJSGA caddie alumni, and friends will be on hand for a day of golf, dinner, and camaraderie at the 13th annual New Jersey Evans Scholars Classic to be held Monday, June 15 at Hawk Pointe Golf Club in Washington, N.J.
The event has become the focal point for those with ties to the Evans Scholarship, which bestows full scholarship and tuition to prestigious universities for those caddies fortunate enough to be selected for the award.
This year, just the third full-scholarship New Jersey recipient, Tyler Citrin, a resident of Springfield, will be attending the Evans Scholars Classic and will be recognized. Citrin, a caddie from Baltusrol Golf Club is receiving a full-scholarship to Indiana University after review of his astounding work on and off the golf course.
Citrin has worked hard at Baltusrol and showcased responsibility and has become a mentor for other caddies.
Thomas Marcus of Tenafly, a caddie at Knickerbocker, is a rising junior at the University of Michigan and will also be recognized.
LEARN ABOUT EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
Evans Scholars are usually accepted prior to entering college. However, Citrin, a New Jersey State Golf Association Caddie Scholar, was initially denied by the committee but reapplied after the fall semester at Indiana University.
The Evans Scholars Classic has raised $306 million since its inception in 1930. The NJSGA is very proud to join in the effort with the Western Golf Assocation to distribute well-deserved scholarships to caddies.
One day, Citrin and Marcus will be like the group of Evans Scholars Alumni who connected in an effort to give back to the program and organized the Classic in the early 2000s.
Such alumni are Amy Lillibridge, current Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations at the Western Golf Association, Rich Burke, Ross Galarneault, current Director of GHIN at the USGA, and Tom Paluck. Paluck, an Evans Scholar at the Michigan State University, Class of 1962, and former NJSGA president, initiated the event. He hoped New Jersey caddies might get the same academic opportunity that the Evans Foundation extended to him years ago.
Jeff Harrison, Vice President of Education at the WGA and Evans alumnus, reported that within the coming years, the Evans Program anticipates a record number of 1,000 scholars enrolled full-time in colleges. This is an objective executed by the generous support of the Match Play Challenge, a program that allows donors to double the impact of their donation to the Foundation. Those who choose to participate as March Play Challenge partners pledge to match Par Club gifts of $2,500 or greater.
Harrison stressed how important is it that the two Foundations to work together. As they have the past 13 years, the strength of the combined programs has grown enough to fulfill Tom Paluck’s objective to continue to send New Jersey caddie scholars to participating Evans universities.
Evans universities are located primarily in the Midwest and many represent the Big 10 Conference. Notre Dame is the newest member. It is hoped with the addition of Rutgers University to the Big 10, and possibly to the Western Golf Association, that someday many more New Jersey caddies will have an opportunity to earn Evans scholarships.
Since the Evans’ inception in 1930, the Foundation has generated over $100 million in scholarship awards to more than 10,000 recipients. The East Coast Evans Classic has contributed well over $360,000 since 2003 and boasts the successes of New Jersey scholars Sean Thornton and Tommy Marcus.
Caddie scholarships have become a primary addition to the world of golf in not only New Jersey, but throughout the country. On the East Coast, the NJSGA has become one of the biggest associations that work with Evans Scholars.
The NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation also supports caddies who display a great academic performance, financial need, and quality service as a caddie. This year, the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship Foundation will award 198 caddies who will receive a total of $835,168.
The two previous full-tuition Evans Scholars caddies from New Jersey are Thomas Marcus of Knickerbocker, and the graduated Sean Thornton of Green Brook Country Club who both attended the University of Michigan.
Along with the NJSGA Caddie Foundation, the event will raise money towards future Evans Scholars that display the same character that Marcus, Thornton, Citrin, and the past recipients have displayed.
“It is a definitely a remarkable experience I’ll remember the rest of my life. I am spreading the word about the Evans Scholarship and the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship. My overall message is that if there is one thing in life you are passionate about, put 100 percent effort into pursuing it, and you can use it to shape your future,” Citrin said.
This annual event has become larger with each passing year. Each year, besides golf, the event includes an auction, raffle and donations by everyone, including the founders circle.
Director of Caddie Scholarship, Johanna Gavin speaks on the expansion of Evans Scholars Classic, “It’s grown tremendously over the past five years. The enthusiasm of participants is pretty incredible.”
Since the first annual Evans Scholars Classic in 2002, this event has become successful and sold out yearly. Caddies from multiple New Jersey clubs have shaped this event, adding more each year.
