The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has announced that 21 high school seniors have been selected as semifinalists for the 2021 Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Congratulations to these exceptional students:
- Lena Abdelkader, Bloomington High School North
- John Beggs, Bloomington High School South
- Ousman Berndt, Harmony School
- Savannah Bledsoe, Edgewood High School
- Andrew Blessinger, Edgewood High School
- Hannah Browning, Lighthouse Christian Academy
- Ethan Cantrell, Bloomington High School North
- Caroline Doyon, Bloomington High School North
- Darby FitzSimmons, Bloomington High School South
- Nicholas Goh, Bloomington High School South
- Solveig Ksander Hicks, Bloomington High School North
- Cooper Macy, Bloomington High School North
- Ohm Shah, Bloomington High School South
- Madeleine Shaw, Bloomington High School North
- Tyler Smith, Edgewood High School
- Josephine Sparks, Bloomington High School South
- Moya Stringer, Bloomington High School South
- Lucia Walker, Bloomington High School South
- Blake Waskow, Edgewood High School
- Kaitlyn Young, Bloomington High School North
- Katherine Zinkan, Bloomington High School South
Monroe County’s semifinalists were selected from among 117 applications submitted by students from Monroe County high schools. Applications for the 2021 scholarship were blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a scholarship committee at each high school to identify semifinalists. The number of semifinalists identified is reflective of each school’s senior class size.
Each semifinalist has been invited to submit an updated application, which includes additional content and references from school and other members of the community, to be considered for the finalist round. The Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee will then evaluate the completed semifinalist applications. This committee, which is made up of members of the community and former Monroe County Lilly Scholars, blindly reviews and scores applications from the semifinalists to select ten finalists. In selecting recipients for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to student activities and achievements, community and civic service, academic performance, and leadership potential.
Finalists will be identified and interviewed in October, and finalist interview scores will be combined with scoring from the written application. The finalists’ rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship nominees, will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. for final selection of scholarship recipients for Monroe County. The two 2021 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Monroe County will be named in December 2020.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are awarded four-year, full-tuition scholarships to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in Indiana. The scholarship also includes up to $900 annually for required textbooks and equipment.
“Despite the many uncertainties students face today, a record number of young people in Monroe County applied for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship this year,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “We couldn’t be more pleased that all these exceptional students are interested in pursuing their post-secondary education at one of Indiana’s world-class higher education institutions. While only two Monroe County students will ultimately receive a Lilly Scholarship, we hope many of our applicants will elect to not only stay in Indiana for school but will also choose to make Indiana home after graduation.”
Since the Lilly Endowment Scholarship Program’s inception in 1998, over $424 million in scholarship tuition has been provided. Including scholars from the 23rd cohort, which started their college careers this fall, 4,769 students have received full-tuition Lilly scholarships. The Lilly Scholarship program is administered by Independent Colleges of Indiana and community foundations in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.
For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or other scholarships administered by CFBMC, visit https://cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply-for-a-scholarship/ or contact Marcus Whited, Program Director at 812-333-9016 or [email protected].
About 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 $30 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $33.5 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.