The Wayne County Foundation is pleased to announce that among a pool of 68 highly competitive applicants, five Wayne County high school seniors have been selected as finalists for the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. They are:
- Hannah Cravens, Richmond High School
- Olivia Dudas, Richmond High School
- Lorelei Guenther, Centerville Senior High School
- Sammy Humphrey, Richmond High School
- Allison Stout, Richmond High School
Of the finalists, two will ultimately be awarded the scholarship. Every application went through a thorough review process and was independently scored by members of the Foundation’s selection committee. Selection criteria considered each student’s activities, achievements, community service, academic performance, financial need, work experience, and leadership potential.
“These students represent some of the best and brightest in Wayne County and we look forward to learning more about them during their interviews,’ shared Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Gilliam.
Finalist interviews are scheduled for early November and interview scores will complement application scores and determine the finalists’ ranking. The committee’s recommendations will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. for final review. The 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Wayne County will be announced in December 2023.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are awarded a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in the state of Indiana. The scholarship also includes up to $900 annually for required textbooks and equipment. To date, 55 Wayne County students have been awarded the scholarship since the program began in 1998.
For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship or other scholarships administered by the Wayne County Foundation, please visit https://waynecountyfoundation.org/ or contact Kelley Cruse-Nicholson, Nonprofit Relations Manager, at 765-962-1638.
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Founded in 1979, the Wayne County Foundation exists to foster and encourage private philanthropic giving, to enhance the spirit of community and to improve the quality of life in the Wayne County, Indiana, area now and for future generations.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.