Two Nazareth seniors secure coveted Evans Scholarships

When Gigi Montoro and Bella Ramirez met at Nazareth Academy, they didn’t realize they both were caddies. Four years later, that connection led them to support each other in applying for the Evans Scholarship – an honor they both recently were awarded.

“It’s just so amazing that we get to experience this together,” Ramirez said. “We really connected over caddying and it brought us together. I’m so thankful we got to share the whole process.”

Both young women began their caddying journeys during the pandemic.

Montoro began to play golf and caddie around the same time. Her sport of choice was volleyball, but when the volleyball season was postponed because of the pandemic, golf was the only remaining option for her to engage with sports. At the same time, her mother and guidance counselor encouraged Montoro to take up caddying and work toward the Evans Scholarship. That led Montoro to the Chicago Highlands Club in Westchester.

“My mom has always been really supportive of everything I’ve done and we made a deal when I was getting close to high school,” Montoro said. “We have financial need, so she said she could either pay for me to go to Nazareth or she could help me pay for college. I’d wanted to go to Nazareth since I was like 9, so I said I would work hard and find a way to pay for college and my counselor made that possible. Nazareth made that possible.”

At Nazareth, Montoro has served as president of the National Honors Society, Roadrunner Club, Respect Life Club and captain of the golf team. She also has participated in several other clubs and organizations, including Young Community Changemakers and Youth Initiative. She plans on studying finance, business analytics and information management in college and hopes to pursue a master’s degree.

Ramirez took a different path.

Ramirez was a Daniel Murphy Scholar and a Western Golf Association Caddie Academy participant. Having never been exposed to golf in her community, Ramirez was inspired to caddy as a means to pursue college, but as soon as she stepped onto her first golf course, she fell in love with the sport.

The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund was founded in 1989 by two Chicago-based brothers with their family and friends to enrich the lives of Chicago youth by providing them with educational opportunities they would otherwise be unable to access, according to the organization’s website.

The WGA Caddie Academy provides summer caddie opportunities to high school students who display outstanding academics, leadership and character, according to the WGA website.

Both young women said they have learned a lot through caddying and the opportunity has helped them develop communication skills, ambition, independence and an ability to thrive in uncomfortable situations that leads to more growth.

They both credit Nazareth Academy and their mothers for putting them on a path to success.

“My mom is my best friend and she looks after me and my two brothers on her own,” said Ramirez, who caddies at Indian Hill Club in Winnetka. “She couldn’t finish college because she had me at a young age, so I just want to live her dreams for her and make her proud because she didn’t have these opportunities.”

Ramirez hopes to study political science and international affairs in college and said she believes the Western Golf Association Caddie Academy has prepared her for a great number of things, including the challenge of being away from her family for an extended time. Much like Montoro, Ramirez began her caddying journey with a lot of nerves and uncertainty, but Ramirez said she has made lifelong friends and grown to be proud of who she is.

At Nazareth, Ramirez participates in Diversity Club, Girls and People of Color Affinity Groups and LatiNaz Club and plays varsity lacrosse.

Montoro learned to be the only woman in a room and how to hold conversations with people she never thought she would have things in common. Through caddying and conversations with golfers, she found an opportunity to engage about future career paths and those conversations helped her determine that she would like to study financial planning in college.

“It was definitely uncomfortable to go from volleyball to so much golf, but I think being uncomfortable is what made me grow and I know [Ramirez] felt the same because we talked about her nerves, too,” Montoro said. “We connected and she was such an important part of my support during the application process. I’m just so grateful for everything golf has brought me.”

The Evans Scholarship is a full tuition and housing college scholarship for high-achieving caddies with limited financial means. To qualify, caddies must meet the requirements of having a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.

In 2022, 875 caddies applied for the Evans Scholarship and 325 scholarships were awarded for the 2023-24 academic year.

The scholarships will be presented during the Nazareth Awards Assembly in May.