CBS 58's Hometown Athlete: Caddies scholars go to college

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- This is a story of part golf.

"It turns out he's from Whitefish Bay and went to Marquette High," Evans Scholar Bob Koehne says.

And large part, education.

"In my family, the value of education is highly emphasized," Koehne says. "You know, not only is it a means for you to develop your professional skills and to go on to a career. But it's a way to enhance your own life."

Bob Koehne is a caddie at Blue Mound Country Club, and an Evans Scholar. Getting four years of tuition and housing at Notre Dame.

"All of the kids who get Evans scholarships are financially needy," Western Golf Association Director/Evans Scholar Foundation Mike Malone "They have situations in their life that requires them to not be able to afford to go to a fine university like the University of Wisconsin or Marquette without scholarship help."

"I think it was elation of being able to go to Notre Dame," Koehne says.

Bob lost his dad at age 8.

"That was a source of unsureness," Koehne says. "So, I think the Evans Scholarship kind of, that being a force, was a great clarifier."

"You can't go to the selection meeting for Evans Scholarship Foundation when the kids are finally selected in December of every year here in Wisconsin," Malone says. "Without coming away with tears in your eyes over the stories that you learn about their lives and about how they have been focusing and pointed towards trying to get this wonderful scholarship."

Life skills are learned.

"They get exposed to things like showing up on time," Malone says. "Following certain rules. To learning how to talk to adults."
All while making a huge impact in a young person's life.

"This is definitely a life changing event," Koehne says. "I mean you use this as an opportunity to enrich not only my life but the lives of people around me."