COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD COUNTY ANNOUNCES 2020 LILLY ENDOWMENT COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

December 17, 2019 -- Two Howard County students have been named recipients of four-year, full-tuition scholarships as the Community Foundation of Howard County 2020 Lilly Endowment Inc. Community Scholars.

Rachel Hughes, daughter of Jesslyn Hughes and Shanna Hughes, and Katie Runyon, daughter of Ron and Barbara Runyon, will receive full tuition to an accredited public or private nonprofit Indiana university or college of their choice and a $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.

Rachel, a Northwestern High School student, is the class president.  She is a member of the Student Council, National Honor Society and Spanish Honors Society. Rachel is on the softball and volleyball teams. Her volunteer activities include Northwestern NYO Drafts, volleyball camp and teaching swim lessons.  At a Flawless Christian event, Rachel mentored participants.  She is a youth teacher at her church. 

Rachel plans to attend Butler University and study actuarial science.

Katie, a Western High School student, is a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council. She has participated in choir at the district and state levels.  Through Student Council, Katie has helped to organize pep rallies and fundraisers, and participated in volunteer activities.  She volunteers at her church by serving in the food pantry, grocery shopping for people, serving meals and packing Buddy Bags for Western students.  

Katie plans to attend Indiana University and study accounting.

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) are 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) 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.

Including the 23rd cohort, 4,769 full-tuition scholars have been awarded and over $405 million in scholarship tuition has been provided through the LECSP since the program’s inception in 1998. 

The Community Foundation of Howard County’s criteria used in the finalists’ selection process include academic achievement, financial need, potential for success, preference for first-generation college attendees, school, community and work activities, and an interview. There were 62 Howard County students who applied for the scholarship.

“The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship allows students to be able to focus on academics and not finances,” said Glenn Grundmann, Chairman of the Community Foundation of Howard County Scholarship Committee. “It also encourages them to remain in Indiana and participate in the communities where they reside. The Endowment utilizes the Community Foundation to administer the program as a way to support Indiana’s community foundations.”

After the Community Foundation of Howard County Scholarship Committee selected the seven finalists, the names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) for the selection of recipients.  ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 30 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.

The Community Foundation of Howard County recognized the accomplishments of the other five finalists with $1,500 scholarships. They are Nico Roman Dinglasa, Guerin Catholic High School; Allyson Foster, Northwestern High School; Megan Johnson, Eastern High School; Clay Wilson, Northwestern High School; and Brayden York, Kokomo High School.

The Community Foundation of Howard County, Inc. was formed as a not-for-profit public charity in March 1991. The Foundation seeks to serve donors and make grants to benefit the citizens of Howard County.  For more information about the Community Foundation, contact Greg Aaron at 765-454-7298 or greg@cfhoward.org. The Web site www.cfhoward.org contains information about making gifts to endowment funds, scholarships and grantmaking.