Heritage Fund: 2025 Lilly Scholarship Finalists Selected
Heritage Fund is pleased to announce the 10 local high school seniors selected as finalists for the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships for Bartholomew County.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership. 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 for four years. The scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students studying full-time and leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects 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.
2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Finalists for Bartholomew County:
- Columbus East High School: Austin Menefee, Ella Powell, Keana Wooten
- Columbus North High School: Benjamin Ferguson, Rebeca Cantu Garcia, Neal White
- CSA-New Tech: Flint De Luna, Sydney Morrow, Dane Tibbs
- Hauser Jr-Sr High School: Samantha Holzer
Heritage Fund received 37 applications for this year’s scholarships, from which 10 finalists were selected. Applicants were evaluated by the selection committee on academic performance, scholastic and community involvement, employment, leadership, financial need, short answer and essay responses, and two recommendations. Finalists will now be interviewed by the selection committee before the scholarship nominees are submitted to ICI for final approval. The 2025 Lilly Scholars will be announced in December.
To date, 57 Bartholomew County students have been named Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.
About LECSP, Lilly Endowment & ICI
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) was created during the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $490 million. More than 5,300 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.
Increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities.
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 and in local communities across the state.
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) has administered the LECSP statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI is the collective voice for excellence and choice in higher education for all students. As a nonprofit association, ICI represents Indiana’s 29 private, nonprofit, regionally accredited colleges and universities.
About Heritage Fund
Heritage Fund was formed in 1976 as a community foundation with the purpose of continuing a legacy of giving by providing an opportunity for all citizens to make gifts and establish charitable funds to benefit the local community. Our mission is to inspire generosity, gather and grow community leaders, and ensure that Bartholomew County is an exceptional place for all to live, learn, work, and play.
For more information, contact:
Amy Laker
Heritage Fund
Phone: 812-376-7772
Jeanette Marsh
HFBC Scholarship Manager
Phone: 812-376-7772