A national program for student golf caddies is growing at the University of Iowa.

The Evans Scholarship Foundation supports college students, including 10 UI students, who work as golf caddies with full tuition and housing. Evans program officals say one part of the program’s growth growth would be adding a building off campus at the UI for the scholars to live in.

While the idea of the house is still in its early stages and no land has been purchased, the building is anticipated to be on an off-campus lot.

UI Evans Scholars are not the first in the scholarship program to consider buying a house on campus. In 2022, the Western Golf Association sponsored a house for the Evans Scholars on Northwestern University’s campus.

There are currently 24 universities working with the program. As of the 2023-24 school year, the UI is the home of the newest branch of Evans Scholars with intentions to grow each year by 10 students, Brian Shell, vice president of Education at the Evans Scholars Foundation said.

Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and complete in 2026, Shell said.

While the scholars are responsible for their own textbooks and dining plans, the scholarship program pays their tuition and housing costs in full for all four years of college. According to the UI, the current total cost for out-of-state students is approximately $45,543 each year.

Max Widhalm from Illinois and Tony Galusha from Wisconsin are both first-year students and two of the Evans Scholars recipients. Current UI Evans Scholars live in Daum Residence Hall on the east side of campus. 

“It’s huge to have that opportunity and the large community of Evans scholars throughout the Midwest,” Galusha said.

Widhalm expressed his agreement with Galusha and said the Evans Scholarship presented him with opportunities to be a leader.

“[It] gave so much more opportunity not just with college but also with working and getting leadership opportunities,” Widhalm said.

Last fall, the students described meeting UI President Barbara Wilson as a memorable highlight. The students met Wilson as part of the Evans Scholars program’s first-year opportunities.

Shell said the four criteria for acceptance into the program include academic achievements, leadership achievements, financial need, and caddying experience. While the program prefers students with at least 100 rounds of caddying experience, there is no exact number requirement.

He also discussed his excitement with future aspirations for the Evans Scholarship Foundation on the UI campus. While 10 scholars are currently on campus, he thinks the addition of 10 more each year for the next three years will benefit the UI community.

A scholarship board is being formed among the student caddies currently enrolled. The board will be fully composed of students with a potential advisor from the Evans Scholarship Foundation.

Galusha said he sees a board as a great opportunity to further the Evans Scholar Program at the UI.