Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program

Overview

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. Since the program was first offered in 1998, Lilly Endowment has remained steadfast in its belief that education at all levels is indispensable to the personal, civic, and economic well-being of Indiana’s residents and communities.


The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program is a state-wide program administered by local community foundations throughout Indiana. The Community Foundation administers the program locally in coordination with the Community Foundation Alliance (our governing body), and Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) which provides statewide oversight of the program.

The program provides scholarships for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Community Foundation will nominate one student to receive the scholarship.


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The next application cycle will open

Summer 2024

Scholarship Eligibility

Once you have reviewed How to Apply, please review the scholarship criteria below. Once you determine eligibility, click the Apply Now button to begin your application. You can always start your application and return later to complete and submit.

Conditions for the Award

Students named as Lilly Endowment Community Scholars must:


  • Graduate from an accredited Indiana high school and receive diploma no later than June 30, 2024. A high school is considered accredited for purposes of the program if it is accredited by the State Board of Education or by a national or regional accreditation agency that is recognized by the State Board of Education. Although home-schooled students are ineligible to apply for the LECS, students enrolled in accredited online high schools may be eligible. Contact your Community Foundation for more information.
  • Intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at any Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
  • Select the college or university they will attend prior to May 1, 2024.
  • Hold freshman status upon entering their chosen college or university.
  • Apprise the Community Foundation Alliance annually of their academic status while pursuing their baccalaureate degree and of their postgraduate status (education and employment) for at least ten years after graduation.
  • Account for and return to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) any amount of the allocation for required books and equipment remaining at the end of each school year.
  • Refrain from applying for scholarships awarded through the Foundation’s Community Scholarship Program upon notification of award of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
  • Disclose additional scholarship offers. (When recipients receive additional scholarships, those additional scholarships will be reviewed in order to ensure that each Lilly Scholar receives the full scholarship amount(s) that are due. The amount awarded under the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program may be adjusted to avoid having a scholar’s total award package exceed the Cost of Attendance.)
  • Agree to the conditions outlined in the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Agreement.

Eligibility Requirements

Qualified applicants will:


  • Be a resident of Indiana and attend a Gibson County high school.
  • Be a graduate of an accredited Gibson County high school by the end of June 2024, and begin as a full-time college student in the fall of 2024.
  • Demonstrate high academic achievement in completed course work with at least a 3.80 cumulative grade point average (unweighted 4.0 scale).
  • Have a minimum SAT score of 1200 (ERW + M) or a minimum ACT score of 25.
  • Have completed the college prep curriculum in high school upon graduation.
  • Be available for an interview with the scholarship committee on October 17, 2023, if selected as a finalist, and be prepared to write a short essay on October 10, 2023, on a selected topic prior to the interview.
  • Apply for the scholarship in only one county.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated on:


  • GPA (cumulative grade point average – 10%)
  • SAT/ACT:  SAT test scores or equivalent ACT score-10%
  • School activities and work experience  (indication that a student is well-rounded and gets along with others; indication that applicant can handle and prioritize multiple demands; shows a commitment to an area of interest; consider leadership roles in activities, intensity and longevity of activities, number and variety of organizations, link to career and/or personal goals; response to school or work experience impact prompt – 10%)
  • Community service and volunteer activities (consider longevity of service, number and variety of organizations, and response to community service project question – 10%)
  • Personal statement/Unusual circumstances (student states how their school and community activities and/or work experience relate to their career and/or personal goals; student facing unusual or special circumstances – 10%)
  • Impromptu essay (student answers essay question thoroughly and appropriately and is able to support position with reasoning and specific examples – 15%)
  • Finalist interview  (student demonstrates confidence in answers, answers all questions clearly, indicates knowledge of his/her community, demonstrates honesty and sincerity; indicates critical thinking – 35%)


In the event of a tie and indecision of the top nominees, the student with the highest interview score will be selected as the nominee. In the event of indecision, the members of the committee will confidentially vote on the most worthy candidate. The candidate with the most votes will receive the nomination.


Transcripts

Students should submit their transcript and test scores directly to the Community Foundation through Parchment or by submitting a request to their guidance counselor.

Application Access Code

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through your user account:

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