John Ruddy Awarded the Chick Evans Scholarship for Caddies
Providence Catholic is proud to announce that senior John Ruddy of Homer Glen was awarded the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship for Caddies. This scholarship is a significant achievement, as it is a full tuition and housing scholarship for high-achieving caddies.
Ruddy, a graduate of SS. Cyril and Methodius School, began caddying in 2016 at the end of his eighth-grade year. He typically caddies at Edgewood Valley Country Club in LaGrange, Illinois, and enjoys meeting people and the friends he has made as a result of caddying.
“This scholarship is an opportunity to pursue further education at a great university,” says Ruddy. “It betters my chances at positively impacting my future and the people around me. To put it simply, I just felt happy when I received the Chick Evans Scholarship. It was a testament to all the hard work I had done over the years as a caddy and a student.”
To qualify, caddies need to meet requirements including a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need, and outstanding character.
Ruddy is currently looking at several universities, including Marquette University, University of Illinois, Indiana University, and University of Wisconsin-Madison – and feels ready to embrace the next stage in life in great part due to the foundation he received at Providence.
“Everyone at Providence has always expected the best from me in the classroom and outside of it,” says Ruddy. “I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to attend such an amazing school. I feel completely prepared for the next stage of my life, and I am excited to see what it brings.”
About the Scholarship
According to the Western Golf Association, “In 1930, the Western Golf Association and celebrated amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. established the Evans Scholars Foundation. The Foundation’s mission was to provide full tuition and college scholarships to caddies with limited financial means. The first two Evans Scholars enrolled at Northwestern University in 1930, and since then, more than 11,050 outstanding young men and women have graduated as Evans Scholars. This year, there are 1,010 Evans Scholars enrolled at 18 leading universities nationwide.”