CARROLL COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2013 LILLY ENDOWMENT COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
March 26, 2013 -- One Carroll County student has been named a recipient of a four-year, full-tuition scholarship as the Carroll County Community Foundation 2013 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.
Tallis Bowers, son of Troy and Alice Bowers, will receive full tuition to the Indiana college of his choice and up to $900 per year for required books and equipment.
Tallis, a Carroll High School student, participates on the cross country, track and field, and wrestling teams. He is a volunteer at St. Joseph Hospital and is a high school office worker and teacher’s aide. Tallis is the president of Key Club and a mentor through Cougar Pals.
His awards and honors include Commended National Merit Scholar, First Team Academic All-State, Carroll’s Top Scholar Award and Citizen Award. Tallis was a three-time Hoosier Heartland All Conference and two-time semi-state cross country runner. In the Hoosier Heartland Math Competition, his team placed first every year and he was the overall individual winner in 2011.
Tallis plans to attend Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to study mathematical physics.
This is the 16th year that the Lilly Endowment has funded the Community Scholars program. The Carroll County Community Foundation defined the criteria based on the endowment’s goal to "raise the educational attainment in Indiana." The selection criteria identified by the Foundation included academic achievement; school, community and work activities; potential for success; and financial need. A committee of volunteers evaluated the applications and selected the four finalists who were interviewed by the Carroll County Community Foundation board. There were 19 Carroll County students who applied for the scholarship. During the first 15 years of the program, 3,629 students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships.
The finalists' names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) for the selection of recipients. ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.
The Foundation recognized the achievements of the three finalists with $1,000 scholarships. They include Courtney Benefiel from Carroll High School, daughter of James and Deena Benefiel; Shelbi Fisher from Carroll High School, daughter of Kendall and Jodi Fisher; and Mariah McCauslin from Delphi Community High School, daughter of James McCauslin and stepdaughter of Nicole McCauslin.
"Each year the Scholarship Committee is impressed with the quality of the students," said Dr. Greg Norman, chairman of the Carroll County Community Foundation Services Committee. "This process reinforces that students are achieving high academic standards, volunteering in their community and working towards a successful future. Indiana is fortunate to have a program that recognizes the achievements of the recipients and one that promotes the role of foundations in improving the quality of life in their communities."
The Carroll County Community Foundation was established in 1997 as a not-for-profit charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of local citizens. Its purpose is to serve the interests of donors, to make grants and to act as a catalyst around issues of community importance in Carroll County. For details about making a charitable gift or establishing a permanent endowment fund to benefit a charitable organization or interest in Carroll County, contact the Carroll County Community Foundation.
