Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

A prestigious four-year, full-tuition scholarship for high school seniors in Marshall County. Provides full tuition, required fees, and special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of undergraduate study.

Geographic Scope: Marshall County, Indiana (for applicants); eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit colleges and universities for attendance

Focus Areas:

• Merit-based (academic performance)
• Community service and leadership
• Character

Eligibility:

• High school seniors who are Marshall County residents
• Demonstrated academic performance
• Community service, work experience, and leadership
• School activities participation
• Strong character

What's Covered:

• Full tuition
• Required fees
• Up to $900/year stipend for required books and equipment
• 4 years of undergraduate study leading to baccalaureate degree
• Access to Lilly Scholars Network (LSN) connecting scholars with resources and leadership opportunities

Program History:

• Created by Lilly Endowment for 1998-1999 school year
• Supported every year since
• Over $439 million in tuition grants provided
• More than 5,000 Indiana students have received the scholarship since inception
• 143 scholarships awarded statewide in recent years

Selection Criteria:

1. Academic performance
2. Community service, work experience, and leadership
3. School activities
4. Application essay
5. Interview by Lilly Scholarship Selection Committee

Primary Program Purposes:

1. Help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana
2. Increase awareness of beneficial roles Indiana community foundations play in communities
3. Encourage and support current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit, and civic leaders to improve quality of life

Application Process

Steps:

1. Contact guidance office at your high school or Marshall County Community Foundation
2. Obtain application from guidance office or visit marshallcountycf.org
3. Complete application form
4. Write application essay
5. Participate in interview with Lilly Scholarship Selection Committee (if selected as finalist)
6. Submit by published deadline
7. MCCF Scholarship Committee reviews 15-31 applications (based on recent years)
8. Top finalists interviewed
9. MCCF Board of Directors approves recommendations
10. Nominees submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) for final statewide selection
11. ICI announces scholarship recipients

Required Materials:

• Completed application form
• Application essay
• Academic records
• Community service documentation
• School activities information
• Leadership examples

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Academic performance (exceptional)
2. Community service, work experience, and leadership (substantial)
3. School activities
4. Application essay quality
5. Interview performance

Deadline: Typically early September (e.g., September 9 in past years)

Contact: High school guidance office or Marshall County Community Foundation at 574-935-5159