Caddying leads Grace Begotka to college scholarship

 

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Growing up as a shy kid, the Prairie School graduate Grace Begotka tried all sorts of activities from sports to school clubs. But nothing caught her attention like being a golf caddie.

"The point in my life that I was out of my shell the most was definitely caddying," said Grace Begotka.

A TikTok gave Begotka the idea to caddie as a summer job and found an opportunity at The Club at Strawberry Creek. She loves the time getting to know different people with a new experience.

"I hadn't done anything with golf before. I hadn't been to a golf course. I wasn't interested in golf at the time, but now I like golf," said Begotka.

During her summers caddying, Begotka found out about the Evans Scholarship provided by the Western Golf Association through the Evans Scholars Foundation. The scholarship has been given to young caddies who are good students with financial need and outstanding character since 1930 for 12,040 caddies.

In the last school year, 1,130 students enrolled in 24 universities including Marquette University and University of Wisconsin. Begotka is one of 340 students to earn the scholarship this year.

"We just couldn't be more proud of her accomplishments," said Phil Poletti, executive director of the Caddie and Leadership Academy. He initially got Begotka into caddying and was a part of her interview process for the scholarship.

"Grace just knocked it out of the park," said Poletti. "A truly life changing four-year, tuition and housing scholarship to Marquette university. And it's all because of caddying and her dedication to caddying and all the benefits she got out of it."

"I probably wouldn't have believed it because I would have thought why would being a caddie get you free college," said Begotka thinking of her current position and how caddying brought here.

Begotka will be one of 19 students in Wisconsin benefiting from the scholarship.

"One of the best things that happened to me, and I think it’s a really great thing that they're giving back to deserving kids and I don't think anyone should be able to continue their education and do what they want in life because they can't afford college," said Begotka.

Begotka chose Marquette because of how it was similar to her high school. She will be in Biomedical Sciences program studying to be a dentist.