The Western Golf Association awarded the Chick Evans Scholarship to 18 Indiana high school seniors recently.
It is a full, four-year housing and tuition scholarship for golf caddies. 18-year-old Indianapolis resident Faheesat Alase-Makanjuola, born and raised in Nigeria until she was twelve, is one of the recipients.
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“My freshman year, my counselor told me there was this caddie scholarship named the Evans Scholarship. I could caddie for like three years, and then I would have to interview at the end, be chosen as a finalist with another interview, and see if you get the scholarship,” said Alase-Makanjuola.
Fluent in three languages, the Ben Davis High School student graduated with a 4.0 GPA. With help from the scholarship, she will be the first in her family to attend a four-year college. Alase-Makanjuola will be attending Indiana University, Bloomington.
She plans to study biology and eventually become a pediatric doctor.
Each caddie has a unique story to tell, reflecting the scholarship’s four selection criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
The estimated value of the scholarship over four years is $125,000.
The scholarship team requires students to caddie for at least two years.
Full ride caddy scholarship
This school year, 875 eligible students applied for the scholarship nationwide and only 325 were awarded it.
Alase-Makanjuola is still caddying this summer at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.
“I usually just go on the golf course, introduce myself to a golfer and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be your caddie today,’ and we just go out for a round and have a nice time,” said Alase-Makanjuola.
The teen said she likes caddying because she gets to meet new people.
“Especially the golfers, they encourage me and give me the confidence to speak up because when I first started caddying, I used to be an introvert. My first golfer, I did not speak to him. I just did what I had to do,” said Alase-Makanjuola.
She said the Chick Evans Scholarship is a great opportunity for everybody.
There were not any golf courses nearby Alase-Makanjuola’s home in Nigeria or Ben Davis but that did not stop her from trying.
“For anybody who wants to caddie, they should just try it if they want to. It may be a great experience and change their life in the way it has for me,” said Alase-Makanjuola.
Contact staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-607-5792 or by email jadej@indyrecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON
