The Eisenhower-Evans Scholars are celebrating their 50th anniversary at the University of Colorado, but rarely do they receive such a notable guest from CU as they did Tuesday evening.
Phil DiStefano, the chancellor of the CU-Boulder campus for the last 2 1/2 years, accepted an invitation to come to the caddie scholarship house, which is located just across Broadway from the university. The leader of CU’s main campus spent about an hour with the EE Scholars and leadership of the Western Golf Association and the CGA, who co-sponsor the Eisenhower-Evans Scholars along with the CWGA.
The EE Scholarship is one of the flagship programs for both the CGA and CWGA, and Colorado donors provide almost all of the year-to-year scholarship costs at CU.
DiStefano (pictured above, third from left) went on a guided tour of the house, then met with the 40-plus Scholars, who each introduced themselves, noting the club at which they caddied and what their major at CU is.
“In celebration of the 50th year of the Scholars being on the campus, this was a great opportunity for the chancellor to learn about the Evans Scholars program,” said Bob Webster, a former Evans Scholar at CU and currently the WGA director responsible for the CU scholarship house. “It was also an opportunity for the Scholars to learn about university management.
“The relationship between CU and the Evans Scholars has been very effective over many years. (The scholarship) has brought in many tuition dollars and a graduation rate of over 90 percent.”
Since the 1960s, about 400 Eisenhower-Evans Scholars have graduated from CU, where one of the 14 Evans Scholarship houses is located. (There are between 9,000 and 10,000 alums nationwide.) In Colorado, the scholarship’s roots date back to the early 1960s with the CGA-created Eisenhower Scholarship for junior golfers, which merged later in that decade with the Illinois-based Evans Scholarship. The Evans Scholarship debuted in 1930, when it was founded by Chick Evans, a former caddie who won a U.S. Open and two U.S. Amateurs.
The scholarship provides full-tuition and housing support for students who have excellent academic and caddie records, show outstanding character, and demonstrate financial need. An Evans Scholarship is estimated to be worth well in excess of $50,000 if renewed for four years.
While the scholarship has a long history at CU, it isn’t often that it gets to put its best first forward in front of such a prominent member of university leadership.
“There’s a difference between being aware (of the program) and being a partner in what you’re doing,” said CGA executive director — and former Evans Scholar — Ed Mate. “Efforts to work with the university were personified with him being there.”
In addition to the current Evans Scholars being on hand for the Tuesday meeting with DiStefano, several representatives of the WGA were represented, along with Mate. WGA directors there were Webster, George Solich, Jim Bunch and Rick Polmear. WGA educational staffers Jeff Harrison, Bill Moses and Mike Maher likewise met with DiStefano. (The group is pictured together in front of the house.)
Solich, a former Evans Scholar who funds a full-time EE Scholarship recruiter position at the CGA, was instrumental in DiStefano’s visit as Solich is a key contributor to CU on many levels — academic, athletic and university-wide.
As for what DiStefano discussed during his visit, Mate said, “Basically he was saying that the Evans Scholars are perfect partners for the university with a graduation rate of over 90 percent. If students don’t graduate, they don’t make contributions back to the university, so having students graduate is a huge priority for them.”
In addition to the program having a 92 percent graduation rate, all 14 Evans Scholar houses have average grade point averages of over 3.0.
Those on hand Tuesday also noted that DiStefano paid more than cursory attention to the Scholars and their individual introductions.
“He seemed to take a real interest in the Scholars and their majors and their experience at CU,” Webster said. “He also noted how important it is to give back to the university, both financially and in general support.”
Mate said DiStefano was also impressed with the diversity of majors among the Scholars, and how the Scholars come from all across the state, in addition to other areas of North America.
The meeting with DiStefano was the culmination of a busy two-day stretch for the Scholars, who on Monday traveled to the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs to help out at the Par Club tournament, which raises money for the Eisenhower-Evans Scholarship. (CLICK HERE for more information about the Par Club tournament.)
