Four Local High School Seniors Awarded Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

Scholarship Provides Full Tuition at any College or University in Indiana

Four graduating seniors in Clark and Floyd counties have been named the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.

Two students residing in each local county were selected to receive the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, which provides for full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any accredited Indiana public or private college or university. This year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholars include:

Clark County:

Alyssa Leezer (Clarksville H.S.)

Emma McCutcheon (Charlestown H.S.)

Floyd County:

Alaina Walker (New Albany H.S.)

Wesley Omerso (New Albany H.S.)

“I would like to send congratulations to all of the finalists, as well as a special thank you to Lilly Endowment Inc., which has been incredibly supportive of our foundation and this community,” said Linda Speed, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Because of the generosity of this scholarship program, we are able to award these life-changing scholarships to deserving applicants in Clark and Floyd counties, who will go on to pursue their education and achieve their goals.”

The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana administers the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program locally each year. Students in all accredited public and private high schools in Clark and Floyd counties were invited to apply. Scholarship applications were reviewed and scored by International Scholarship & Tuition Services (ISTS), which has been an industry expert and a trusted educational assistance program management partner for organizations for the last 35 years.

Each semi-finalist was individually interviewed by CFSI’s Scholarship Interview Committee, which is comprised of an independent committee of civic volunteers. According to Crystal Gunther, Vice President of Community Philanthropy for CFSI, a total of 12 semi-finalists were determined from the 156 applicants this year.

Four finalists were submitted to ISTS for final approval of the recommendations made by the Scholarship Committee.

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.

There were 147 scholarships awarded statewide.