Willowbrook senior Patricia Perez was recently named as a recipient of a Chick Evans Scholarship for Caddies.
The scholarship is awarded from the Evans Scholars Foundation, a charitable trust that provides full, four-year tuition and housing college scholarships to deserving caddies.
Perez has been a caddie at Glen Oak Country Club in Glen Ellyn for about five years. She said she plays golf recreationally and plans to continue with the sport in the future.
“What I enjoy most about being a caddie is it allows you to learn how to communicate better, and it enhances your skills of working with other people,” she said.
Perez said she was thrilled when she found out she had received the scholarship to live in the Evans Scholarship House at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she plans to major in accounting.
“I was speechless,” she said. “It was one of the best days of my life, and I truly appreciate the financial assistance.”
Perez added she couldn’t have achieved this level of success without the help of her parents and four older brothers; her caddie master, Andrew Epperly, and the members of Glen Oak Country Club; and her teachers at Willowbrook.
“Willowbrook has taught me the importance of managing my time and how to balance all aspects in life,” she said. “I’ve learned you can accomplish your goals when you really focus and try.”
