Edwardsburg senior Ben Robertson has been awarded one of five $5,000 scholarships from the South Bend Cubs.

The Cubs awarded five college-bound softball and baseball players with a scholarship.

Robertson, who will attend Michigan State University in the fall, was honored along with the other four winners at the Cubs’ game at Four Winds Field July 9.

Also winning were Ashton Pease of Walkerton, Chelsea Huppert of Bremen, Brogan Briggs of LaPorte and Jacob Arndt of South Bend.

“The scholarships are important to the team because we’re making an investment that’s frankly more important than a new amenity to the stadium,” said Andrew Berlin, owner of the South Bend Cubs. “This is an investment in future leaders of our region. At the same time, it’s an investment in the rich softball and baseball tradition of this community. We’re encouraging more kids to get involved in this all-American game. That’s why you have to play softball or baseball to apply for these scholarships. We think that’s a good thing.”

Robertson, who is a Chicago Cubs fan, said he ran across the scholarship application and decided to fill it out.

“I am a big fan of the Cubs and the organization,” he said. “Also, I was really excited when the South Bend Cubs moved to the area a couple of years ago. I just came across the scholarship one day while looking online. I said ‘I like the Cubs, I should probably apply for that.’”

The scholarship application was more comprehensive than most of the ones he had previously filled out. The application consisted of a series of five questions.

Robertson knew that the winners were to be notified in June.

“It was really exciting,” he said. “They said they would let the winners know by June and it was probably the second week of June and I had already figured I didn’t win because I wasn’t contacted by June 1. So it was really a surprise.”

Robertson said receiving the scholarship at Four Winds Field at a game made it special.

“I love that ballpark and just getting a chance to be on the field was great,” he said. “The game was great, too. The Cubs won on a walk-off.”

Joe Hart, president of the South Bend Cubs, was pleased with the quality of the applicants.

“These five students have already demonstrated leadership potential,” Hart said. “Our application process made academic performance the table stakes. The difference for the winners is what we saw in the essays they wrote. Some of the kids talked about tough situations they found themselves in. Some of them talked about their personal values and how it affects the way they approach life. These are all great young people who we’re proud to award scholarships.”

Robertson will be majoring in human biology.