First African-American Women to Attend the University of Colorado as Evans Scholars
Meet Andrea Pickford and Asni Solomon. Both from Denver, Colo. Both freshmen in college. Both united by the game of golf, making history as the first two African American women to receive Evans Scholarships at the University of Colorado (CU).
(Left: Andrea Pickford, Evans Scholar at the University of Colorado)
The Evans Scholarship program, established by famed amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr., provides full housing and tuition scholarships to deserving caddies across the country. Currently, 840 caddies are attending college on scholarship; and there are more than 9,800 Evans Alumni across the country. Most Scholars attend one of the 14 universities, like CU, where the Foundation owns and operates a Scholarship House. Coincidentally, this year Asni and Andrea’s hometown of Denver has the honor of hosting the BMW Championship, whose net proceeds benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation. The BMW Championship has raised nearly $17 million for the Foundation since 2007.
To earn the title of Evans Scholars, Andrea and Asni had to meet specific and rigorous academic requirements, demonstrate financial need and have significant experience as caddies. While each worked as a caddie for years at courses in and around Denver, their paths to becoming Evans Scholars are not the same.
For Andrea, it was a case of “Father Knows Best.” Andrea was signed up by her father, Kevin, for The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch program at age 11. The then-fledgling golf organization was growing in size and Kevin Pickford wanted Andrea and her younger sister to be involved.
“He was really eager to enroll us in a program so we could learn to play a sport that few minorities, especially African American women, were interested in playing,” Andrea said. “Whether my father knew that joining the First Tee of Green Valley Ranch would open so many doors for me, I am not sure, but the experiences I’ve gained through the game have been invaluable.”
Unlike Andrea, Asni Solomon (pictured left), a second-generation Ethiopian American, had “never picked up a putter” and knew little about the game of golf when she first showed up to work at CommonGround Golf Course. Unfamiliar with the game’s jargon at first, terms like “provisional,” “par” or “slice” were as foreign to her as the Amharic spoken by her family would be to her fellow caddies. But she persisted and worked hard with her eye on an Evans Scholarship. Asni knew that through caddying, this game, once alien to her entire family, could change her life.
“Initially, it was all a bit intimidating and could have easily prevented me from sticking with it,” Asni said. “I am thankful I embarked on this journey … Golf truly has a place in my heart for helping me learn perseverance, dedication and hard work and has helped make me who I am today.”
Likewise, Andrea said that her caddying experience helped confirm what she wanted to study and pursue as a career; both women have dreams of becoming doctors.
“Even with the ups and downs that come along with caddying, the skills I have learned have reassured me that helping people is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Andrea said.
Both agree that being Evans Scholars has given them distinct advantages as freshmen at CU. “The program is designed to help you succeed in academics,” Asni says. “There is a sense of community with 40 other people (Evans Scholars) to help you and make sure you are doing well.”
Andrea adds that she expects the Evans Scholarship to open a lot of doors for her, academically and socially. “Making lifelong friends and having connections with other Evan Scholars and students at the university will benefit me not only in college but long after,” she said. “All in all, the most important thing I would like to get from my college experience is to discover how exactly I can contribute to the world.”
Andrea Pickford and Asni Solomon. Both trailblazers on and off the golf course. Both incredible young women. Both breaking par in the game of life.
To learn more about the Evans Scholars Foundation, go to www.wgaesf.org.
Photo left: Asni Solomon caddying for George Solich, Evans Scholar Alumnus, energy entrepreneur, and 2014 BMW Championship General Chairman
