Graduating LaGrange County high school seniors who are planning to apply for a Community Scholarship offered through the LaGrange County Community Foundation have until February 15, 2023 at 5 p.m. to submit their applications.
The Foundation manages more than 45 community scholarship funds. Scholarship opportunities vary according to residency, career fields, current high school attendance, anticipated college enrollment, extracurricular involvement, and academic performance.
Scholarships are available for students who are planning to pursue a full-time education at a college, university, technical or trade school. Students can apply online at LCCF.net/availablescholarships
Applicants should read the criteria carefully, as each scholarship is unique. Awards range from $500 to $3,000 per scholarship and may be used for educational expenses.
A full list of scholarships, criteria, and their award amounts is available online.
Questions about a scholarship opportunity? Contact Scholarship Manager Laurie Sherck at lsherck@lccf.net or call 260-463-4363.
Kamryn Miller of Westview Jr. Sr. High School was suprised on Dec. 5, 2022, with the announcement that she was the 2023 Lilly Endowment Scholar.
Kamryn demonstrates many of the qualities we seek in a future leader motivated, hard-working and engaged in her school and community. The selection committee was impressed by her service to her community and passion for her career goals.
Octavia Yoder, executive director of the LaGrange County Community Foundation
Kamryn plans to attend Bethel College and pursue a career as a mechanical engineer. She is the daughter of Brian and Brooke Miller of LaGrange.
This year 34 applications competed for the Lilly Endowment Scholarship. Five students were invited to the finalist round for a personal interview. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to the statewide administration of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program, Independent Colleges of Indiana, for the selection of scholarship recipients.
Finalists included Manisha Ramachandran of Lakeland High School; Ella Clark, Ethan Hibbs and Paige Riegsecker, all of Westview Jr.- Sr. High School. Each of the finalists will receive a $1,000 four-year renewable scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Scholarship Fund established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright in 2013.
The Foundation is honored to nominate a LaGrange County student for this prestigious award. We are grateful Lilly Endowment continues to support future leaders and makes dreams possible for our young students. Selecting a nominee is a difficult process based on many factors. The committee is impressed by the exceptional scholars in our community.
Octavia Yoder, executive director of LaGrange County Community Foundation
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 Community Scholarship Program, which aims to support the educational aspirations of students in LaGrange County.
Through the program, the Community Foundation awarded $99,500 in scholarships to 23 graduating seniors.
The Community Scholarships are open to graduating high school seniors who are pursuing higher education at an accredited university, college, or trade school. The program has grown to 45 donor-created scholarship funds, each with its own unique criteria. Funds are created by individuals, families and businesses and are managed by the Community Foundation.
The scholarship funds support a variety of career paths such as education, agriculture, health, science, nursing, and more.
Scholarship recipients, listed by schools, are as follows:
Lakeland High School scholarship recipients
Brooklynn Olinger – Allread Rife Family Scholarship; Bruce Brown Memorial Scholarship; Lakeland High School Scholarship and Mary McGawn Memorial Teaching Scholarship.
Cole Schiffli – Chase Scott Memorial Football Scholarship; and Joseph Willard Memorial Scholarship.
Isabella Rasler – Schlemmer Scholarship.
Jason McBride Jr. – Terry Schmidt Memorial Basketball Scholarship.
Keylee Fleeman – Brian Evans Memorial Scholarship and Craig & Ronda Neff Memorial Scholarship.
Lucile Cook – Mattea Holton Memorial Scholarship and The Bulldog Spirit Scholarship.
Madi Targgart – Judy Gage-Keenan Memorial Scholarship and Waddell Memorial Scholarship.
Pilar Canedo – Olivia Bay Lemings Memorial Basketball Scholarship and the Paul & Marian Krebs Memorial Scholarship.
Prairie Heights High School scholarship recipients
Alexandra German – Prairie Heights High School Scholarship.
Breanda Sutton – Prairie Heights High School Band Scholarship
Colton Penick – Prairie Heights High School Scholarship and the J. O. Mory Company Scholarship.
Jaden Soller – Prairie Heights High School Scholarship and the Mory Family Scholarship.
Katelyn Eash – The Craig & Ronda Neff Memorial Scholarship; Virgil & Florence Hardin Memorial Scholarship; The HOPE Nursing Scholarship; the Perkins Family Scholarship and the Ray & Ruth Culp Memorial Scholarship.
Kirsten Norton – The Beverly Todd Memorial Scholarship.
Samarah Orr – The Allread-Rife Family Scholarship, Amanda Crotts Memorial Scholarship and the Prairie Heights High School Scholarship.
Westview High School scholarship recipients
Allie Springer – Kerry Wilt-Spradlin Memorial Scholarship.
Bohdy Bontrager – Ellsworth Fanning Memorial Scholarship and the Rheinheimer Family Scholarship.
Brookelyn Lambright – The Rheinheimer Family Scholarship.
Isaac Rogers – Lambright Leadership Scholarship, the Mike Farmwald Scholarship and the George O. Witwer News-Sun Journalism Scholarship.
Jackson Minix – Lambright Leadership Scholarship, the Melvin & Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship.
Kaylyn Gates – Lambright Leadership Scholarship, the Lyle Smith Scholarship.
Lillian Eash – Lambright Leadership Scholarship, Holly Petersen Memorial Science Scholarship, the James Kalb Memorial Scholarship, the Keith & Arline Davis Scholarship, the LIFE Scholarship, the Melvin & Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship and the Ned Stump Memorial Scholarship.
Penelope Eash – The Morgan Hunter Memorial Scholarship.
Anyone can give to current scholarship funds. For more information check out the List of Scholarships or call us at 260-463-4363.
Jean was an advocate for education, teaching for Westview School Corporation for 25 years. She had a passion for children and taught fifth grade at Topeka Elementary, retiring in 1988.
Jean was deeply rooted in Topeka, serving as a member of the Topeka United Methodist Church since 1950 and the United Methodist Women of the church, holding many offices and positions in both. She was a homemaker, Sunday school teacher, and Girl Scout leader. Jean received the Thanks Award for her 10 years of service in Scouting.
She enjoyed history and education, serving as a member of the Topeka Area Historical Society as Vice President. It was clear Jean had a passion for education and community.
The Jean Seagly Crouse Memorial Scholarship Fund will support a LaGrange County high school senior pursuing a degree in education. The scholarship fund will begin to accept applications in the fall of 2023.
Lilly Schackow of Lakeland High Schools was surprised on Dec. 16, 2021, with the announcement that she was the 2022 Lilly Endowment Scholar.
Lillian Schackow demonstrates many of the qualities we seek in a future leader: motivated, hard-working, and engaged in the community. The selection committee was impressed by her service to her community and passion for her career goals.
Octavia Yoder, executive director of the LaGrange County Community Foundation
Lilly plans to attend Indiana Wesleyan University and study elementary education and special education. She is the daughter of Jason and Elisa Schackow of LaGrange.
This year 25 applications competed for the Lilly Endowment Scholarship. Five students were invited to the finalist round for a personal interview. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to the statewide administration of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program, Independent Colleges of Indiana, for the selection of scholarship recipients.
The five finalists include Lillian Eash of Westview High School; Isaac Rogers of Westview High School; Kaylyn Gates of Westview High School; and Jackson Minix of Westview High School. Each of the finalists will receive a $4,000 scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Fund, established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright in 2014.
Five LaGrange County high school seniors have been named finalists for the 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. The prestigious award goes to an outstanding high school senior in LaGrange County. The 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship including a $900 book stipend per year, for four years to any accredited college or university in Indiana.
Finalists for the award are Lillian Eash of Westview High School, daughter of Cory and Vanessa Eash; Kaylyn Gates of Westview High School, daughter of Marty and Lora Gates; Jackson Minix of Westview High School, son of Douglas and Mary Minix; Isaac Rogers of Westview High School, son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Rogers, and Lillian Schackow of Lakeland High School, daughter of Jason and Elisa Schackow.
The scholarship is awarded to a well-rounded LaGrange County graduating senior who exemplifies service and leadership in their community, while maintaining a commitment to academics.
The scholarship program is offered each year by the LaGrange County Community Foundation, and other Indiana community foundations across the state 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.
Isaac Rogers
Jackson Minix
Kaylyn Gates
Lillian Eash
Lillian Schackow
After a competitive application process that evaluates academics, community and school activities, leadership, and written essays, the finalists are interviewed by the Foundation’s Lilly Scholarship Advisory Committee. The results of the interview round are combined with the application round to determine the 2022 nominees who will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection of the LaGrange County recipient.
Announcement of the recipient will be made in mid-December. The four remaining finalists will each receive a $1,000 renewable four-year scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Scholarship Fund, established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright in 2013.
LaGrange County’s 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application opens on July 31. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 143 scholarships statewide and one (1) scholarship in LaGrange 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.
2020 Lilly Scholar, Mary Hostetler
The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in LaGrange County through the LaGrange County Community Foundation, is open to all Indiana residents who:
graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2022 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2022;
intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an eligible college or university in Indiana; and
meet the criteria specific to their local community foundation. Students applying in LaGrange County must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0; be a LaGrange County resident; and be graduate from a LaGrange County high school.
Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in LaGrange County and apply for this scholarship by visiting www.lccf.net/lillyscholarship. Applications must be completed and submitted by Sept. 15, 2021, at 5 p.m. to be considered.
Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria:
academic achievement
demonstrated service to others
leadership ability
commitment and motivation to succeed
employment history
extracurricular involvement and essay responses
Two recommendations must also be submitted with the application. A personal interview will assist in determining the scholarship recipient.
Five students will be selected as finalists and be interviewed in October 2021. Following the interviews, the LaGrange County Community Foundation will nominate one local graduating senior for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship; their name will be submitted to ICI for final approval. The scholarship recipient will be announced in December.
The finalists not selected for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship will receive a $1,000 four-year renewable scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Fund established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright.
Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997 – 1998 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $424 million. Nearly 5,000 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of LECSP 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.
LaGrange County Community Foundation is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 25th year in LaGrange County.
We are grateful to be able to offer the LECSP Scholarship to our local students. It opens opportunities for the recipient to attend a school that otherwise might not have been possible. LaGrange County is home to exceptional student scholars who are committed, caring community members. We look forward to recognizing the hearts and minds of our community’s talented young people.
Octavia Yoder, executive director
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 Inc. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 30 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.
Barbara Fanning, Paul Hostetler, and other donors established the Ellsworth Fanning Memorial Scholarship in October of 1996.
Ellsworth and Edd in 1967 – visit Edd’s Supplies for more info
Ellsworth was a lifelong LaGrange County resident. He attended Brighton High School and earned a degree in agronomy at Purdue University. He taught agriculture at Shipshewana High School.
You must have the right to fail to retain the right to succeed.
Ellsworth Fanning
The scholarship was established to encourage higher education in agriculture and agri-business. Over the course of 24 years, the fund has provided 36 scholarships to help students pursuing their agricultural goals.
To contribute to Ellsworth’s passion for agriculture Click here.
We love to surprise our Lilly Endowment Scholarship recipients! This year was especially sweet after such a challenging and tough year. A little good news goes a long way towards lifting everyone’s spirits!
Mary Hostetler is the daughter of Douglas and Delores (Dee) Hostetler of Topeka. They were all happy to join in the surprise announcement! She was overwhelmed with emotion when she found out that she was named the 2021 Lilly Endowment Scholar.
Mary plans to attend Huntington University in the fall of 2021 where she plans to study animal science. Her decision to pursue a career in animal science was inspired by her grandfather, Richard Hostetler.
He developed in me a love for animals and being involved in FFA and 4-H solidified my career choice.
Mary Hostetler
Mary’s biggest dream is to start her own blood line and herd of Hereford cattle. She has a goal to give back to the community by either donating the meat to the Clothes and Food Basket of LaGrange County or selling it at reduced rates based on financial need.
In the meantime, Mary will finish out her senior year at Westview feeling reassured that she does not have to worry about how her college expenses will be met.
It’s amazing to think I don’t have to worry about how to pay for college or about having a lot of debt after college. It allows me to focus on my goal of obtaining my degree in animal science and returning to LaGrange County.
Mary Hostetler
We want to wish Mary all the best as she pursues her dreams.
If you would like to learn more about the Lilly Endowment Scholarship, please click here.
More than 45 one-time and several renewable scholarships are being offered through the Foundation to graduating students who are planning to pursue a full-time education at a college, university, technical or trade school.
Scholarship opportunities vary according to residency, career fields, current high school attendance, anticipated college enrollment, extracurricular involvement and academic performance. Applicants should read the criteria carefully, as each scholarship is unique. Scholarship awards range from $400 to $2,000, and may be used for educational expenses.
Two scholarships will be offered for the first time in 2021: the Beverly J. Todd Memorial Scholarship and the Lakeland Scholarship.
The Beverly J. Todd Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) was established to benefit a Prairie Heights graduating senior or a homeschool student pursuing a career in the education field. The scholarship was established in memory of the late Beverly Todd, an elementary teacher who taught for 38 years at Prairie Heights School Corporation.
The Lakeland Scholarship ($1,000) is open to any graduating Lakeland High School student pursuing a full-time degree at a 2-or 4-year college or university.
To view the full list of scholarships, criteria, and their award amounts click here.
If you have questions about scholarships, contact Laurie Sherck at lsherck@lccf.net or 260.463.4363.
Anyone can Donate to a Community Scholarship, click the button below.
