(BLOOMINGTON) – The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has opened applications for the 2020 Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Interested high school seniors have until Monday, August 26 to submit their applications to be considered for the scholarship program.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are awarded four-year, full tuition scholarships to pursue baccalaureate degrees at colleges or universities in Indiana. The scholarship also includes up to $900 annually for required textbooks and equipment.
In selecting recipients for the Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, consideration is given to student activities and achievements, community and civic service, academic performance, and leadership potential. Semifinalists for the scholarship will be identified in September. Finalists will be identified in October, and the two 2020 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for Monroe County will be named in December 2019.
“To ensure that every eligible student has the opportunity to apply, we want students and families to be aware that the timeline for the Lilly Scholar program is earlier than many other scholarship programs,” said Program Director Marcus Whited. “We encourage students to review the Lilly Scholarship application online this week and reach out early to teachers, school staff, and others for the required recommendations.”
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a resident of Monroe County.
- Applicant must attend an accredited Monroe County high school and/or the Indiana Academy for at least three consecutive years.
- Applicant must graduate by June of 2020 from one of these eligible schools: Bloomington High School North, Bloomington High School South, Edgewood High School, Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship, Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics & Humanities, Bloomington Graduation School, and Lighthouse Christian Academy.
- Applicant must have a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or above (on a weighted four-point scale) through the end of their junior year.
- Applicant plans to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an Indiana college or university beginning in the Fall of 2020.
Evaluation Process:
Applications are blindly reviewed and independently scored by members of a Lilly Scholarship committee at each Monroe County high school to identify semi-finalists.
The number of semi-finalists identified is reflective of each school’s senior class size.
Next, the Community Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee will evaluate the semi-finalists applications from each school. This committee, which is made up of members of the community and former Monroe County Lilly Scholars, blindly reviews and scores applications from the semi-finalists to select ten finalists.
In October, each finalist will be interviewed, and their interview scores will be combined with scoring from the written application. The finalist’s rankings, along with the committee’s recommendations for scholarship nominees, will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. for the final selection of scholarship recipients for Monroe County prior to the announcement in December.
“We are grateful that the Lilly Endowment in collaboration with Independent Colleges of Indiana continues to incent young people to pursue their post-secondary education at Indiana’s world-class higher education institutions,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “Exceptional career opportunities exist here in the Uplands and across the state as well. Our hope is that these students not only stay here for school but to work and raise their families, too. Our thriving industries offer great opportunities and are hungry for talent.”
Since 1998, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has assisted more than 4,626 Indiana high school graduates statewide with more than $392 million in tuition to pursue baccalaureate degrees at Indiana colleges and universities.
The program is administered by Independent Colleges of Indiana and community foundations in each of Indiana’s 92 counties.
For more information on the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or other scholarships administered by CFBMC, visit https://www.cfbmc.org/lasting-impact/apply- for-a-scholarship/ or contact Marcus Whited, Program Director at 812-333-9016 or marcus@cfbmc.org.
About Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County:
Created by individuals, families, and businesses who share a passion for Monroe County and a vision for its future, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County has granted $25 million to more than 400 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With a growing $32 million endowment, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources.
