BLOOMINGTON – The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County (CFBMC) has announced that 10 high school seniors have been selected as finalists for the 2027 Monroe County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program:
- Tyler Cerney, Bloomington High School North
- Abe Corry, Bloomington High School South
- Ava Francis, Bloomington High School North
- William Liao, Bloomington High School South
- North Milner, Bloomington High School North
- Isobel O’Leary, Bloomington High School North
- Omid Safi, Bloomington High School North
- Albie Singleton, Bloomington High School North
- Addilyn Ulmet, Edgewood High School
- Silvia Walker, Bloomington High School South
Together, this year’s finalists have participated in or led more than 30 school clubs and youth organizations. Their activities span student government, academic competitions, service organizations, career-focused clubs, and programs including Science Olympiad, Model UN, Key Club, DECA, Riley Hospital Dance Marathon, Habitat for Humanity Club, Best Buddies, FFA, 4-H, and Boy Scouts. In sports, this year’s finalists have been active in tennis, golf, soccer, track, cross country, swimming, intramural basketball, lacrosse, adaptive PE/unified track, and athletic councils.
They have also pursued a wide variety of fine arts, including writing, photography, ceramics, dance, jazz and concert band, orchestra, choir, and theater. As engaged community members, they have volunteered and advocated for many nonprofits, including local churches, WonderLab, Salvation Army, Community Kitchen, Shalom Community Center, Habitat for Humanity, Pantry 279, Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Middle Way House, the Pipsqueakery, Bloomington Indian Cultural Center, and buildON. They have also found time for internships, apprenticeships, and work experiences as tutors, camp counselors, babysitters, petsitters, coaches, lifeguards, dance instructors, restaurant workers, home and lawn technicians, farm workers, clinic assistants, science researchers, and in many other office settings.
“Each of these finalists has already demonstrated an impressive ability to turn their interests and talents into meaningful contributions,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Tina Peterson. “These students have accomplished a great deal, and they are still learning, growing, and discovering where their interests might lead. Reaching this stage among 102 applicants is an achievement worth celebrating, and we are proud to recognize all 10 finalists.”
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will award 147 scholarships statewide, including two in Monroe County. Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) administers the program statewide, and the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County administers it locally.
LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment initially created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 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;
- To increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and
- 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.
“This scholarship opens doors for students while investing in the future of Indiana,” Peterson added. “Through the commitment of Lilly Endowment and Independent Colleges of Indiana, students across the state have opportunities to learn, lead, and build meaningful careers here. We hope every applicant continues exploring those possibilities and brings their talents during their post-secondary experiences and beyond to communities throughout the Indiana Uplands.”
Monroe County’s 10 finalists were selected from 102 applications submitted by students attending high schools that serve Monroe County. Monroe County’s two Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients will be announced in December. 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 the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County
The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County connects donors and resources to catalyze solutions that strengthen Monroe County through grantmaking, leadership, and strategic partnerships that drive both immediate and long-term impact. Created by individuals, families, and businesses who share a passion for Monroe County and a vision for its future, the Community Foundation has granted $52 million to more than 600 local nonprofit organizations since its incorporation in 1990. With $92 million in assets, the Foundation makes a difference by connecting caring people, important causes, and community resources to address our community’s most pressing challenges and seize its most compelling opportunities.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, Lilly Endowment Inc. is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
About Independent Colleges of Indiana
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 28 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,400 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5.3 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.
