The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has announced that 20 high school seniors have been selected as semifinalists for the 2026 Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program:
- Rebekah Arnold, Bloomington High School South
- Coen Berin, Bloomington High School North
- Alexander Busch, Bloomington High School South
- Isabella Carson, Edgewood High School
- Ashton Crosley, Bloomington High School South
- Hazel Hammerstein, Bloomington High School South
- Eli Jackson, Bloomington High School North
- Iris Jones, Bloomington High School North
- Lucinda Miksza, Bloomington High School South
- Marcella Miles, Bloomington High School South
- Ally Mitsdarffer, Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship
- Helee Patel, Edgewood High School
- Xixi Qiu, Seven Oaks Classical School
- Alice Racek, Bloomington High School South
- James Rhoda, Bloomington High School North
- Erica Urheim, Bloomington High School North
- Elliana Vagedes, Edgewood High School
- Eliana Vuyyuri, Lighthouse Christian Academy
- Harriet Wisler, Bloomington High School North
- Alex Zulkowski, Bloomington High School North
“This year’s semifinalists are remarkable young people who have distinguished themselves as leaders in school and community,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “We are proud that they are all interested in pursuing their post-secondary education at one of Indiana’s world-class higher education institutions.”
“We look forward to getting to know the semifinalists better and hope each of them will choose Indiana not only for their education but also as their home after graduation,” added Peterson. “We are inspired by their talent and excited to support the next generation of leaders and innovators who will strengthen the state of Indiana and the Indiana Uplands region through their education and careers.”
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and two scholarships in Monroe County. The program is administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Monroe County through the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County.
LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.
Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of LECSP 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.
Monroe County’s semifinalists were selected from among 95 applications submitted by students from high schools that serve Monroe County students. Each school’s senior class size determines the number of semifinalists identified.
Students selected as semifinalists have been invited to answer additional application questions and provide reference recommendations from teachers or others. The Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee, comprised of community members and a former Monroe County Lilly Scholar, will blindly review and score the semifinalist applications to select ten finalists. In October, each finalist will be interviewed, and their interview scores will be combined with the scores from the written applications. The finalists’ rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship nominees, are then submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. for final selection of scholarship recipients for Monroe County.
In nominating recipients to receive the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to academic performance and activities, community engagement and civic service, student employment, and leadership potential.
The formal announcement of Monroe County’s two Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships will occur in December.
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 of Bloomington and Monroe County 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 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.
About Independent Colleges of Indiana
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. 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 $5.5 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.