Pantelis continues family tradition

Michael Pantelis has wanted to go to Penn State since he was a little kid. 

“It felt like a second home every time I visited my sibling and when I went to the football games,” Pantelis said. 

Pantelis has been awarded the Chick Evans Scholarship, a scholarship for golf caddies to a variety of colleges around the country.

“It’s a dream come true for being admitted and not having to pay for it. It’s a huge blessing,” Pantelis said. 

Caddies who earn the scholarship have to build a solid reputation and be well respected around the golf courses where they work. Pantelis has worked as a caddie at South Hills Country Club for about six years. 

He is the first caddy to receive the scholarship at South Hills since his older brother, Nick Pantelis who was in the class of 2017 earned it.

“I started in seventh grade, because I knew about the scholarship from my brother,” Pantelis said. 

Pantelis will stay in a scholarship house with the other 13 Penn State students who received the scholarship. 

“When my brother received it, he introduced me to a lot of the people in the house. It’s what made me want to go to Penn State, because I knew I wanted to stay there,” he said. 

Pantelis’ older brother recently graduated from Penn State, while his older sister, Cassie, is heading into her sophomore year. 

“Both of my siblings have made me feel comfortable with the atmosphere up there, and I’m happy about having my sister there because we always look out for each other,” Pantelis said. 

Michele Pantelis, his mom and a Baldwin substitute teacher, is happy to have had all her kids attend the same school. 

“Obviously it wasn’t intended, but it’s kind of neat to have all my kids end up at Penn State,” she said. “When each kid went, they fell more in love with the school.” 

Mrs. Pantelis attributes her son’s success to his attributes as both a student and a caddy. 

“He’s worked tremendously hard in school to achieve good grades. In addition to doing well academically, he’s done activities and done community service as well,” she said.

Pantelis will be majoring in business and concentrate largely on finance.