According to a press release issued by the Greene County Foundation Friday, Justin Brown, a senior at Linton-Stockton High School, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Greene County.
“Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership,” the release states.
“Justin’s application was an absolute standout for the committee. Not only does he excel in school activities, but his extensive involvement in the community truly sets him apart,” commended Katie Stout, program manager, highlighting his commitment on all fronts.
The release continued, “Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years. The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.
In determining Greene County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominees, consideration was given to GPA and class rank, school and volunteer activities and work history by the scholarship committee. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.
‘This was another competitive application process. We have many students with bright futures in our county, and we hope that they will come back to Greene County after college and put their talents to use,’ said Stout.”
“Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-99 school year and has supported the program every year since with grants totaling in excess of $505 million. More than 5,200 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana, to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities and 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.
The Greene County Foundation exists for charitable individuals to leave a lasting legacy to the community they love. Through the establishment of endowments, donors can forever support the local causes important to them. The Greene County Foundation has had a charitable impact in every school, library, and community in Greene County. The Foundation annually awards over a quarter-million dollars in grants through fund payouts, competitive grants and student scholarships. For more information, visit greenecountyfoundation.org or call (812) 659-3142.
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.
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. 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 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.”