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BEFORE YOU START

By completing and submitting the Lilly Scholarship application, you place yourself in a pool of equally talented students who are all vying for this scholarship.  Your application must represent your absolute best effort!


FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!   Submit what is requested and PROOFREAD everything!  Typos, missing information or materials can cost you a scholarship.

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Lilly Endowment community Scholarship Program

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Students with a minimum GPA of 3.8 who reside in wells county or attend a wells county high school may apply. Students who reside outside of wells county but attend a wells county high school may apply through wells county only if they are ineligible in their county of residence.) 

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THE WELLS COUNTY FOUNDATION, INC.
222 WEST MARKET STREET
BLUFFTON, IN 46714
(260) 824-8620

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The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program will award in the winter of 2024 one full tuition scholarship grant for four years of undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any Indiana public or private college or university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.  The grant will include all fees and an additional allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment.  The Wells County Foundation, Inc. will administer the program locally.

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The nominee must be full time, legal resident of Wells County, Indiana or attending an accredited Wells County high school at the time of the application/award and will have graduated by June 30, 2025 with a diploma from an accredited high school (a high school is considered accredited for purposes of the program agency that is recognized by the State Board of Education.  Out of county residents who are attending a Wells County high school may apply for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship through Wells County only if they are ineligible to apply through the community foundation serving their county of residence.  Out of county residents who are eligible to apply through the community foundation serving their county of residence shall be ineligible to apply for the Wells County program.  Applicants must intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an accredited public or private nonprofit college or university in Indiana beginning in the fall of 2025.  Written notification of the award acceptance must be received by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) by February 28, 2025.

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Applicants for the award must have pursued a college preparatory program of studies while in high school and attained a minimum GPA of 3.8.  Other criteria to be utilized are demonstrated leadership skills, outstanding character, extracurricular activities, community service, and part- or full-time work experience during the school year and/or summer vacations.

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Application for consideration must be made through The Wells County Foundation, Inc.  In addition to the application form (including school-related/extracurricular activities; community service; and work history forms), a typed essay of 500 to 750 words in length is required.  In the student’s own words, the essay must convey what makes him/her special and deserving of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.  Two letters of reference from individuals outside the student’s family and an official transcript for six semesters of high school are also required.

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Completed applications must be submitted to the Wells County Foundation, Inc. no later than 4 p.m. September 20, 2024.  It is the sole responsibility of applicant to ensure that the application is complete.  The Foundation staff will conduct an initial screening to verify that eligibility requirements have been met and that the applications are complete.  Incomplete applications will be deemed ineligible and will not be forwarded to the next level of screening.

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Eligible applicants whose applications successfully pass the initial screening will be forwarded to an expert and unbiased source from outside Wells County to be scored and ranked.  The weighting of the selection criteria will be as follows:  GPA and class rank = 50%; extracurricular activities, community service, leadership, honors and awards = 20%; work experience = 15%; essay = 10%; and letters of reference = 5%.

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As soon as The Wells County Foundation, Inc. receives the scores and rankings, the application materials for the selected nominee and alternate, the Foundation Board will review and approve the recommendations and they will be forwarded to ICI for approval.  The Wells County Foundation, Inc. will officially notify the Wells County nominee of his/her selection by December 13, 2024.  One alternate will be selected but will be notified of his/her selection only in the event the recipient is unable to fulfill the conditions of his/her award.

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Application -Word doc - Google doc

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Scholarship Brochure-Word doc - Google doc

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Deadline is September 20, 2024

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