James D. Standish Award Winners: Erik Haneberg, Christian Jackson
Country Club of Detroit caddie Christian Jackson of Michigan State University and Erik Haneberg of the University of Michigan, a caddie at Evanston Golf Club in suburban Chicago, are the 2022 winners of the James D. Standish Award.
The award is presented each year to an outstanding Evans Scholar at the Michigan State and Michigan chapters. The Executive Committee of the GAM established the award in 1968, a year after the passing of James D. Standish, a former champion golfer, GAM and USGA president who helped Chick Evans of the Western Golf Association start the caddie scholarship program.
The award goes to a student who has demonstrated scholarship and leadership in their Evans Scholar chapter’s affairs. A permanent plaque that includes the inscribed names of each year’s winners is displayed in the lounge of each campus Evans Scholarship house, and each winner is presented with a replica of the plaque.
Jackson, a Finance major at MSU who plans a career as a financial analyst, said when he learned of winning the award it felt similar to when he first found out he had been selected as an Evans Scholar.
“It’s a great feeling because being an Evans Scholar has done so much for me and my family,” he said. “I’ve learned so much about myself as a student and a leader and I’ve enjoyed the experience all the way. I’ve met so many different people and made great connections, and our house has had a great environment for success.”
Haneberg, a Biology, Health and Society major at UM who plans a career in orthopedic surgery, called it a great honor.
“I’ve wanted to win this award since I first learned about it,” he said. “A former roommate of mine won the award and it meant the world to him. Myself and my family are very happy about it. I appreciate the recognition as a leader in the Michigan Evans Scholar House and the senior class.”
Jackson, who graduates in May, has a 3.3 GPA at MSU. He was elected vice-president-finance of the MSU Evans Scholars Chapter in 2020, and in 2021 was elected chapter president. Under his leadership, the 2021 MSU New Scholar class won the Roland F. “Mac” McGuigan trophy for the highest freshmen class GPA of all Evans Scholars Chapters across the nation.
The son of Rhonda Stephens and Lamar Jackson is a self-described “sneaker head” who collects popular brands of the shoes. He has a brother Myles, who has been selected as an Evans Scholar and will be a freshman at MSU in the fall, and a younger sister, Riley, who is nine.
Jackson said he is not a good golfer and first caddied the day after receiving his license to drive at age 16. He said being a caddie and Evans Scholar is already impacting his future. He recently received a job offer from a company that has hired Evans Scholars in the past, and the tip on the position came from a CC of Detroit member he has served as a caddie.
He started his college studies at MSU with an eye on political science but switched his major and is still graduating with his original class.
“When I switched, hearing that I couldn’t catch up just made me work harder,” he said. “I doubled up on credits, took summer classes and I will be able to walk and finish with my class. I believed I could do it and I did it.”
Haneberg, who graduates in May, has a 3.6 GPA at Michigan. He was elected to and served in two positions on the Michigan Evans Scholars Executive Board – vice-president of New Scholars in 2020, and chapter president in 2021. He also was selected to serve as co-chair of the Evans Scholars National Committee leading students across the country.
The son of Elmer and Rebecca Haneberg, Erik has an older brother Max who was also an Evans Scholar, and a younger brother Jack who is currently an Evans Scholar completing his freshman year at UM. He also has older siblings, Alex and Molly.
Haneberg, who hopes to one day be a better golfer, said breaking several bones in his youth has helped lead him to orthopedic surgery.
“I have broken five different bones, biking, skiing, playing baseball, playing football, any way you can name to break a bone and I think I’ve done it,” he said. “That inspired me to go down the medical path and help people.”
A college education was going to involve significant student loans prior to being awarded his Evans scholarship, Haneberg said.
“It allowed me to go to my dream university where – while I don’t have stats to back it up – but I believe our house has the single most diverse community on our campus,” he said. “Winning this award is a culmination of help from a lot of people I’ve met along the way and hard work as a caddie, getting up at 6 a.m. in the summer while friends are out having fun. All that meant something and being an Evans Scholar has already helped me in so many ways.”
