The Lilly Endowment Scholarship Program serves several key purposes.
Firstly, it aims to elevate the level of educational attainment in Indiana.
Secondly, it seeks to enhance awareness of the valuable roles that Indiana community foundations can fulfill within their communities.
Lastly, it strives to motivate and provide support to current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars, encouraging them to actively engage with each other and collaborate with Indiana’s business, governmental, educational, nonprofit, and civic leaders.
These efforts collectively aim to enhance the overall quality of life in Indiana, both statewide and within local communities throughout the state.
Lilly Endowment Scholarship Eligibility Requirements:
Qualified applicants must:
- Reside in Indiana and graduate from a Vanderburgh County high school by June 2024.
- Maintain a minimum 3.8 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 unweighted scale).
- Achieve a minimum SAT score of 1200 or a minimum ACT score of 25.
- Graduate with an Indiana Core 40 diploma with Academic or Technical Honors or an International Baccalaureate diploma.
- Be available for an interview with the scholarship committee if selected as a finalist.
- Apply for the scholarship in only one county.
2024 Timeline:
- The application will become available on this page starting from July 11, 2023.
- The application deadline is August 14, 2023, at 11:59 pm.
- Selected semifinalists from each school will receive invitations to complete additional components of the second round of the application, due on September 21, 2023.
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The selection committee will invite a total of 10 selected finalists for interviews on October 24 & 25, 2023.
They will announce the names of two scholarship recipients in December 2023.
Lilly Endowment Scholarship Award Conditions:
Students awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship must:
Graduate from an accredited Indiana high school and receive a diploma by June 30, 2024.
An accredited high school is one recognized by the State Board of Education or a national/regional accreditation agency.
Note that while home-schooled students are ineligible, students enrolled in accredited online high schools may qualify.
Contact your Community Foundation for details.
Intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an accredited public or private nonprofit college or university in Indiana.
Choose their college or university by May 1, 2024.
Provide annual updates on their academic progress while pursuing their baccalaureate degree and their postgraduate status (education and employment) for at least ten years after graduation to the Community Foundation Alliance.
Account for and return any remaining allocation for required books and equipment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) at the end of each school year.
Disclose any additional scholarship offers.
Additional scholarships received will be reviewed to ensure each Lilly Scholar receives the full amount(s) they are due.
Adjustments may be made to prevent exceeding the Cost of Attendance.)
Accept the conditions specified in the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Agreement.
Personal Statement Preparation:
Prepare to answer the following questions concisely:
- College Studies: Share your intended major, minor, and the degree you aim to achieve.
- Undecided Interests: If unsure about your major, describe your areas of interest and explain how you are exploring different possibilities.
- Career Expectations: Outline the career you anticipate pursuing upon earning your degree and any plans for postgraduate studies.
- Inspiration: Discuss what inspired you to choose your academic path.
- Personal Qualities: Beyond academic achievements, identify personal qualities that make you well-suited for your chosen career.
Essay Question Response Preparation:
Choose one of the following essay questions and prepare a response of up to 500 words:
- Overcoming Obstacles: Recall a challenging experience or setback you faced. Explain how it impacted you and what valuable lessons you learned.
- Gratitude and Motivation: Reflect on a surprising act of kindness or support from someone. Describe how this gratitude influenced or motivated you.
- Questioning Beliefs: Share a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. Describe the circumstances that prompted this, and discuss the outcome of your thinking.
Prepare concise, structured responses to effectively convey your thoughts and experiences.