Three Connecticut student caddies awarded full college scholarships

Evans Scholars to begin school this fall

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Three student caddies from Connecticut have been awarded the Evans Scholarship, a full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following selection meeting interviews held at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, New York, on Feb. 2.

Gerson Andino of Bridgeport, Zarabella Gislason of Greenwich and Grant Hickey of New Canaan will begin college this fall as Evans Scholars, and will attend either the University of Maryland, Rutgers University, the University of South Carolina or the University of Delaware. Final university placements will be determined this spring. The Evans Scholarship is valued at more than $125,000 over four years.

To qualify for the Evans Scholarship, students must meet the Program’s four selection criteria, demonstrating a strong caddie record, outstanding academics, financial need and exceptional character.

The Western Golf Association (WGA), headquartered in Glenview Illinois, has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF) since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.

“These students from the state of Connecticut have earned a full tuition and housing college scholarship through years of consistent effort and dedication, and we are very proud of them,” said WGA Chairman Andrew Langan. “Their performance as caddies and their success in the classroom have paid off, and we look forward to their continued success as Evans Scholars and beyond.”

Andino, a senior at Bridgeport Military Academy, caddied at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield. Gislason, a senior at Greenwich Country Day School, caddied at Greenwich Country Club, and Hickey, a senior at New Canaan High School, caddied at Woodway Country Club in Darien.

“Caddying taught me how to stay focused under pressure and take pride in my work,” Gislason said. “The Evans Scholarship means I can pursue my education with confidence and give my full attention to learning and growing.”

Currently, a record 1,260 caddies are enrolled at 27 universities nationwide as Evans Scholars. More than 12,575 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the Program was founded in 1930 by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr.

As the Evans Scholars Program continues to grow nationwide, more students from the East Coast, including throughout Connecticut, are being offered an opportunity to caddie and potentially earn a full college scholarship. Through the WGA’s Caddie Scholar Prep initiative, program leaders are intentionally recruiting and mentoring qualified students across the state and introducing them to caddying at local clubs. 

Selection meeting interviews will continue nationwide through spring. By the end of the 2025-26 selection process, an estimated 380 caddies from across the country are expected to receive the Evans Scholarship.

Evans Scholars have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and a 98 percent graduation rate. An estimated 40 percent are first-generation college students, and 96 percent are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduating.

Funds for the Evans Scholarship come mostly from contributions by more than 43,500 supporters across the country, who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $15 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA TOUR Playoff event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup competition, benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation. In 2026, the BMW Championship will be held at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, from Aug. 18-23.