Posey County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program
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.
Overview
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 of Southwest Indiana administers the program locally and Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) 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/ twelve 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 Warrick Community Foundation will nominate two students to receive the scholarship.
Scholarship Eligibility
Review all information below. Once you determine eligibility, click the Apply Now button at the bottom of the page to begin your application. You can always start your application and return later to complete and submit.
Scholarship Eligibility
Students named as Lilly Endowment Community Scholars must:
- Graduate from an accredited Indiana high school and receive a diploma no later than June 30, 2027. 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 who also attend classes in-person 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 before May 1.
- Apprise the Community Foundation 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.
Eligibility Requirements
Qualified applicants will:
- Be a resident of Indiana.
- Be a graduate of an accredited Posey County high school or academy by June 2027, and begin as a full-time college student in the Fall of 2027.
- Demonstrate high academic achievement in completed course work with at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average (unweighted 4.0 scale).
- Have either a minimum SAT (ERW + M) score of 1200 or a minimum ACT score of 25.
- Have completed the college prep curriculum in high school upon graduation.
- Demonstrate commitment to school activities, community service, and/or employment.
- Be available for an interview with the scholarship committee, if selected as a finalist, and be prepared to write a short essay on a selected topic before the interview.
- Apply for the scholarship in only one county.
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be evaluated on:
- GPA (demonstrate high academic achievement in completed course work with at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average – 5%)
- SAT/ACT (SAT test score or equivalent ACT score – 5%)
- Curriculum (difficulty of high school curriculum; have completed the college prep curriculum in high school upon graduation – 10%)
- Essay (student answers essay question thoroughly and appropriately and is able to support position with reasoning and specific examples – 10%)
- Community service and volunteer activities (consider longevity of service, number and variety of organizations, truly volunteer service, link to career and personal goals, leadership roles – 15%)
- Personal statement and unusual circumstances (student states why he/she is deserving of the scholarship; student facing unusual hardships; possible 1st generation college student – 5%)
- Work experience (indication that student has consistent work history, works well with others, can do multiple tasks, work experience is challenging – 5%)
- Honors and awards (consider academic awards, leadership awards, and other recognition from church, school, community, and volunteer activities – 5%)
- School activities (indication that student is well-rounded and gets along with others, activities related to personal goals, indication that student can handle and prioritize multiple demands, commitment to an area of interest, leadership roles in activities – 5%)
- Financial need or special hardships (student has financial need based on SAI (Student Aid Index) number; consideration of special hardships, and information from the personal statement/unusual circumstances – 5%)
- Impromptu Essay (student answers questions thoroughly and appropriately and is able to support position with reasoning and specific examples – 10%)
- Finalist Interview (finalists evaluated on poise, honesty, articulation, language skills, eye contact, goals and aspirations, sincerity, and enthusiasm – 20 %)
In the event of a tie and indecision of the top nominees, 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 most recent transcript directly to the Community Foundation by submitting a request to their guidance counselor.
Application Access Code
Use this code to access the application through your user account: pos
Your Questions Answered
We offer scholarships across a variety of fields, including academic achievement, community involvement, and financial need.
Eligibility varies by scholarship but generally includes local students pursuing post-secondary education or vocational training.
Applications are submitted online through our website, following the instructions.
Each scholarship has a specific application period and deadline, listed on our website.
Some scholarships are one-time awards, while others may be renewable; details are provided with each opportunity.
Selection is based on criteria set by each scholarship, which may include academic performance, financial need, or community service.
es. We provide guidance and resources to help students and families submit strong, complete applications.
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