The Community Foundation of Bloomington & Monroe County is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships for Monroe County: Helee Patel of Edgewood High School and Erica Urheim of Bloomington High School North. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are recognized for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.
“Helee and Erica are shining examples of the motivated, talented, and community-minded young leaders emerging from Monroe County and the Indiana Uplands region,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington & Monroe County. “Their academic achievements, leadership, and commitment to service reflect the very best of our community. We are proud to welcome them to the Lilly Endowment Community Scholars network and look forward to seeing the impact they will make as they pursue their college educations.”
Members of Monroe County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship evaluation committee noted that both students distinguished themselves through their leadership, civic engagement, and character during a highly competitive selection process.
“Helee and Erica stood out not only for their academic excellence, but for the way they lead with empathy, curiosity, and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” said Matt Hawkins, member of the Community Foundation’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship evaluation committee. “Both students are already making meaningful contributions to our community, and they reflect the values of service, leadership, and character that this scholarship is designed to recognize.”
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Scholars also join the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects them with resources and opportunities to lead on campus and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI).
Helee Patel is a senior at Edgewood High School. Her parents are Kalpesh Patel and Dharmistha Patel.
At Edgewood, Helee is the Key Club International president, founder of Global Minds, Student Council historian, and an officer of the German Club. Helee’s other school activities have included Academic Bowl, Environmental Club, Leadership Academy, Varsity Soccer, and Unified Track. Outside of school, Helee has been actively involved with Pantry 279, Monroe County Youth Council, Letters for Rose, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She’s also gained valuable, diverse work-based learning experiences as a math tutor, cashier, language translator, early childhood educator, real estate associate, property manager, and Nextech Catapult intern.
Two years ago, Helees’s interest in global community needs, cultures, and perspectives led her to co-found Global Minds. Through this organization, Helee and high school students developed a curriculum to educate second-grade students about diverse cultures and viewpoints, broadening their understanding of cultures from around the globe. Students have tasted new foods, learned traditional dances, and explored cultural traditions from around the world.
The idea for Global Minds came after a service trip to a low-income neighborhood in St. Louis. “This experience shined light on the gap we have with unequal access to education,” said Patel. “My own past as an immigrant exposed me to a variety of worldviews, but many other children lack the same foundation.” Patel added, “Global Minds grew into a rope that connected everyone, regardless of their differences, as it expanded everyone’s awareness of our increasingly diverse world.”
“I am deeply honored to be a Lily Scholar and am very grateful to the Community Foundation for this opportunity,” said Helee Patel, Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. “I wouldn’t have been able to be where I’m standing today without the support from my family, teachers, and friends. I aim to carry this pride in my future career in business and law.”
Erica Urheim is a Bloomington High School North senior. Erica is the daughter of Sima Setayeshgar.
At Bloomington North, Erica is the captain of the soccer team, the concertmaster/lead violinist with the Hoosier Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of the Spanish Honors Society, and a Peer Tutoring Program tutor. Outside of school, Erica has been actively involved in volunteering with Stone Belt and Community Kitchen and participated in competitive rock climbing and Cutters Soccer Club. She’s also gained valuable work-based learning experiences at Hoosier Heights and as a research assistant with the IU Maurer School of Law.
In the 10th grade, Erica lobbied her counselor to enroll in the Peer Tutoring Program, a course typically open to juniors and seniors. Through the program, she tutored students with learning and developmental disabilities in math and science. Erica said this experience not only inspired her to volunteer at Stone Belt but also enabled her to form new friendships, getting to know her peers as creative, funny, smart, and caring friends.
“Redefining the words’ friend’ and ‘advocate’ within the context of civil and disability rights is a goal I hold in the highest regard as I consider a career in law,” said Erica.
“I am deeply honored to be named as a 2025 Lily Scholar,” said Erica Urheim, Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. “The core values of the Lily Endowment and the Community Foundation embody so much of who I strive to be. Thank you for giving me this amazing opportunity, and to everyone who has supported me.”
In nominating Monroe County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholars, the committee considers leadership skills, civic potential through community service, exemplary school citizenship, and outstanding academic performance.
After narrowing the field of 95 applicants, 20 semifinalists, and 10 finalists, nominees were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), the statewide administrator of the program, for final selection.
“Monroe County continues to be home to an extraordinary group of young leaders,” Peterson added. “With 95 applicants this year, the selection process was highly competitive and thoughtful at every stage. Our scholarship committees devoted significant time to reviewing each application, and we are proud to put forward scholars who represent our schools and our community exceedingly well.”
Since its inception in 1997–98, Lilly Endowment has supported this program with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million, benefiting over 5,400 Indiana students. The program’s primary purposes are:
- To raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana.
- To increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations play.
- To encourage and support Lilly Scholars’ engagement with Indiana leaders to improve quality of life statewide.
For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or other scholarships administered by CFBMC, visit https://www.cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/ or contact Marcus Whited, Program Director, at 812-333-9016 or marcus@cfbmc.org.
About the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County
Created by individuals, families, and businesses who share a passion for Monroe County and a vision for its future, the Community Foundation has granted $52 million to more than 600 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $55 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.:
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 Eli Lilly and Company. The Endowment supports community development, education, and religion, with a special commitment to Indianapolis and Indiana.
About Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI):
Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for Indiana’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year graduation rates and produce 30% of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20% of its undergraduates.
