2025 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Winners Announced
The Community Foundation of Boone County is pleased to announce the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients for Boone County: Cole Ramsey of Western Boone Jr.-Sr. High School and Caroline Sampson of Zionsville Community High School. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are selected for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.
“We are honored to support Cole and Caroline as this year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients. Their dedication and achievements reflect the incredible potential within our community, and we are excited to see all they will accomplish in the years ahead.”
Julie Reagan
CEO, Community Foundation of Boone County
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment needed 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 Boone County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominees, students must be in the top 20% of their graduating class, have provided exceptional levels of service to Boone County and surrounding communities, and intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an Indiana college or university. Meet our 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars:
COLE RAMSEY
WESTERN BOONE JR.-SR. HIGH SCHOOL
Cole is the president and founder of the Boone County Youth Advisory Committee, which helps youth across the county connect and coordinate for service and advocacy. He served as an intern in the Indiana State Senate, and was selected for American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation. His passion for youth mental health was recognized when he was awarded the Mental Health America National Youth Policy Advocate of the Year. A two-sport athlete, Cole is also active in many school clubs including Key Club and Spanish Club, and is a four-year class officer. Cole plans to attend the University of Notre Dame or Wabash College with the goal of studying Political Science, International Relations, and Spanish in preparation for a career in public service, diplomacy, and elected office.
CAROLINE SAMPSON
ZIONSVILLE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
Caroline has been a multi-sport athlete and team captain for basketball and lacrosse, 10-year 4-H member, and servant leader at ZCHS. She combined her passions for athletics and service by working as a swim instructor and volunteering with basketball and soccer organizations for disabled youth. A multi-year Girl Scout, Caroline is working toward the highest award, the Gold Award, and serves on the Zionsville Mayor Youth Advisory Council. She is also active in ZCHS Student Council, Best Buddies, and Zionsville Girls Mentoring, where she is president. Caroline is the seventh of ten children. She is planning to attend the University of Notre Dame, Butler University, or IU Bloomington to prepare for a career in health care.
This year, eight finalists were selected from nearly 60 submitted applications. The eight finalists took part in an interview process with a selection committee made up of nine volunteers who are not affiliated with any Boone County schools. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, the top finalists were submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which makes and approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.
The additional 2025 finalists are:
- Tobias Dollens, Zionsville Community High School
- Carson Fu, Zionsville Community High School
- Taylor O’Brien, Lebanon High School
- Andrew Qin, Zionsville Community High School
- Louisa Santos, Zionsville Community High School
- Sapna Srinivasan, Zionsville Community High School
“Each year, we cannot imagine a group as impressive as the previous class, and every year the students continue to raise the bar. This was an incredibly fun, and difficult, task for our selection committee. The students who applied have excelled in every aspect – leadership, scholarship, and community service. These students should be proud of their accomplishments, and we cannot wait to see them soar in the future.”
Ali Maxey
Director of Education and Grantmaking, Community Foundation of Boone County
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with grants totaling in excess of $490 million. More than 5,300 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: 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.