Waking up at 6 a.m. and waiting in the brutal heat of a summer day was never listed in the job description of a caddy, but Grant Kedzuch ‘16 has experienced it through his past five years of caddying. This past November, Kedzuch received the honorable Chick Evans Scholarship with a full-ride to Indiana University (IU), his dream school, after coming home to a letter on Thanksgiving break.

“It was nerve wracking to open the letter, but also exciting,” Kedzuch said. “The Evans Scholarship is more likely to send you to an in-state college, so to get into Indiana was truly a dream come true.”

With the scholarship, Kedzuch now does not have to worry about taking out loans to pay for college. However, in order to keep the scholarship, he must maintain a 3.0 GPA while attending IU and participate in numerous Chick Evans chapter activities.

Kedzuch agonized meticulously for over a month and a half to prepare his entire application: writing the essay and finding candidates to write his letters of recommendation.

“The essay took me the longest because it had no strict guidelines,” Kedzuch said. “It was difficult to fit in everything I wanted to say. I revised and edited for days, if not weeks.”

Kedzuch began compiling letters of recommendation from men whom he had met on the course throughout his caddying career. One was Tim McVady, Western Golf Association director and another Evans Scholar.

“I became an advocate for Kedzuch,” McVady said. “He did all the hard work. I simply shared my insights and guided him through the process.”

Kedzuch has caddied at La Grange Country Club for five years and has also worked two other jobs. His mother, Melanie Kedzuch, instilled the ideas of hard work and dedication throughout his time working and has seen him grow as a caddy both on and off the course.

“Caddying taught him patience and that people are different,” Melanie said. “He learned the etiquette and became very observant and patient through his time working.”

As time went on, Kedzuch found that he could learn from the men he caddied for. He started to listen while caddying and sparked conversations. The quality time he spent on the fairways allowed him to converse with the golfers during their stop in play.

“A lot of the good rounds I had on the golf course helped me find the inspiration for my essay,” Kedzuch said. “I learned lessons of patience and time management through my time being a caddy, and it really showed through my essay.”

Not only was the time on the golf course an important asset to Kedzuch’s essay, but it has also given him the opportunity to talk about his future in business with experienced men, Kedzuch said. Now, the connections he has made caddying and the Chick Evans Scholarship will open doors for college and beyond.