LAWRENCE CO. – Andino Scarfone, the son of Tammy Scarfone and the late Dominick Scarfone, has been named Lawrence County Community Foundation’s 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.
Andino is a senior at Mitchell High School and plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Andino responded to the news by sharing, “My mother went to the mailbox and called me to open the letter immediately. I was shocked, excited, and grateful. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus on my studies, obtain my degree, and ease the burden for my mom. With this scholarship, I can achieve my dreams and attend Rose-Hulman. Thank you so much!”
Tyson Chase, a lead mentor for the Lawrence County 4-H Superior STEAM, a youth development club, shared the following: “Andino has consistently impressed me with his dedication, strong work ethic, and passionate, thriving leadership. Even while maintaining a demanding academic schedule, Andino has shown an unwavering commitment to every project he has taken on. He is zealous about teaching the next generation of club members. He is deeply driven by a heartfelt mission to make the world a better place—one kid at a time.”
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.
Andino will also have the opportunity to join the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current Lilly 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).
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-98 school year. Since then, grant funding of over $505 million has supported more than 5,400 Indiana students who have received the Lilly Endowment Scholarship since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are:
- To raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana.
- To increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations play.
- To encourage and support Lilly Scholars’ engagement with Indiana leaders to improve the quality of life statewide.
The 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. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion, with a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s twenty-nine private, nonprofit colleges and universities.
It is an honor for the Lawrence County Community Foundation to be a part of this exceptional program. We are impressed each year by the caliber of students we have here in Lawrence County. These young women and men have been a positive force for change by serving their schools and community. It is encouraging to know we have young leaders devoted to Indiana. We look forward to seeing their accomplishments for years to come.
