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, the 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 the 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 up to eight semesters/12 quarters of undergraduate study on a full-time basis 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.
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, 2022. 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 April 29, 2022.
- Hold first-time college student status upon entering their chosen college or university in pursuit of four years of undergraduate studies.
- 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.
- 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 (available through the application form).
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be evaluated on:
The first phase (60%)
- Academic performance (consideration of GPA, difficulty of courses taken, and consistency of grades over 3 years of high school – 20 points)
- Community service and volunteer activities (consideration of the number of organizations served, intensity and longevity of service, and leadership qualities demonstrated in the service – 15 points)
- Personal statement of goals and essay (consideration of grammar, overall presentation, clarity of goal statement, and community and civic pride link – 10 points)
- School activities, sports, and work experience (leadership roles in activities and/or sports, indicating a team spirit, working well with others, and commitment and drive; consistent work history, dependability, and works well with others – 15 points)
The second phase (40%) is the finalist interview and impromptu essay and includes the following:
- Verbal communication skills/ability to respond in an impromptu manner (clear expression of finalist’s thoughts and ideas with proper grammar and speech, demonstrates substantive knowledge on topics addressed during the interview – 15 points)
- Civic pride and interest (expression of finalist’s commitment and dedication to the quality of their community through verbal communication and history of service – 10 points)
- Impromptu essay (grammar, 5 points; clarity of thought, 5 points; depth of thought, 5 points – 15 points)
In the event of a tie between two candidates, each committee member will confidentially vote on the most worthy candidate, and the selection will be made by the majority vote.
Eligibility Requirements
Qualified applicants will:
- Be a resident of Daviess County, Indiana.
- Be a graduate of an accredited Daviess County or Indiana high school or academy by the end of June 2022.
- Rank in the top 10% of their class or have a minimum 1220 SAT score (ERW + M) or a minimum ACT score of 25.
- Be available for an interview on October 19, 2021, with the scholarship committee if selected as a finalist and be prepared to write a short essay on October 7, 2021, on a selected topic as an example of writing/critical thinking skills prior to the interview.
- Apply for the scholarship in only one county.
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
Use this code to access the application
through your user account:
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Lilly Endowment Community Scholars
Among other requirements of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, each scholarship recipient must maintain regular contact with his or her Community Foundation throughout the four years of college enrollment. The timely submission of the following documents and forms is an essential part of the program.
Contact Info Form
The Contact Information Form must be completed and submitted with your grade report each semester (or quarter for Rose-Hulman students). The form is available in your online scholarship account. Click below to be redirected to our scholarship management portal page.
Year End Reporting
Year-end reporting must be completed in order to retain your scholarship. Please complete the forms below and submit with an end-of-year grade transcript. These documents must be submitted by June 1st to your
>STUDENT LOGIN account.
Study Abroad
Scholars wishing to study off-campus, including overseas study programs, are required to submit the Study Off Campus Eligibility Form to Independent Colleges of Indiana at least one semester prior to signing any contracts or paying required deposits. To determine whether an off-campus or study abroad program will be eligible under the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, scholarship recipients must complete and submit the following form:
