Five Allen County students will receive full-tuition, four-year scholarships as the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne 2016 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.
The following students have been selected to receive a scholarship to an Indiana college of their choice and a $900 yearly book stipend for required books and equipment:
· Quintin Hall, R. Nelson Snider High School, plans to attend Butler University to pursue a degree in Political Science and Communications.
· Makalah Krick, Heritage Jr/Sr High School, will attend Huntington University to pursue a degree in Elementary Education.
· Amy Rowland, New Haven High School, will attend University of Saint Francis to pursue a degree in Psychology.
· Emily Vian, R. Nelson Snider High School, will attend Purdue University to pursue a degree in Communications.
· Kendra Yarian, Northrop High School, will attend Butler University to pursue degree in Pharmacy.
“We are pleased to help these very deserving young people reach their academic goals,” remarked David Bennett, executive director of the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne. “On behalf of all of Allen County, we want to express our sincere appreciation to Lilly Endowment Inc. and Independent College of Indiana for continuing to provide this very generous support.”
86 students applied to their high school and 28 applications were forwarded for review by the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Selection Committee at the Community Foundation. Eligible Allen County students have to demonstrate successfully overcoming an obstacle, financial need, academic performance, work and community involvement and a personal statement of goals.
After the Selection Committee narrowed the field, the finalists’ names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for the final selection of the recipients. Independent Colleges of Indiana is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally-accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state. There were 142 Lilly Scholarships awarded statewide.
Typically, scholarship recipients have been identified in March of the year they graduated from high school; however, starting in 2017, Lilly Endowment Community Scholars will be named in December of their senior year. The change affects the program for all Indiana community foundations. The advanced timeline is the result of a “compelling recommendation” from a number of community foundations who participated in a statewide evaluation of the program conducted by Lilly Endowment in 2015. Identifying Lilly Scholars earlier in the school year will give selected students more time to decide which college or university to attend.
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne is adjusting its timeline for choosing our local scholars and will make Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship applications for 2017 graduates available in early June 2016. Completed applications will be due to your Allen County high school guidance office in August 2016. Please contact your high school for their set deadline.
The scholarships are part of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree.
