2009 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars Announced

The Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. is pleased to announce that the two Switzerland County Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for 2009 are Kyle Green and Rachel Gurley.

Kyle is the son of Joe & Kaulene Green of Vevay. He is the president of his graduating class, president of the Spanish Club, and has served as the team captain for the varsity basketball team for two years. In the community, Kyle has volunteered his time as a coach for the YMCA youth basketball and flag football teams. He has also worked as a lifeguard, fitness assistant, and referee at the YMCA. Kyle plans on attending Franklin College and majoring in political science.

Rachel is the daughter of Jennifer Miller of Pleasant and James Gurley of Patriot. She is the president of the FFA Chapter, co-president of student council, and vice-president of her senior class. In the community, Rachel has volunteered her time at the Quercus Grove Food Pantry, for the Special Olympics, and for the local Angel Tree project. She has also worked in child care for the past four years. Rachel plans on attending Butler University and majoring in psychology and political science.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition for four years of undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree. It also covers all required fees and up to $800 per year for required books and equipment. Students receiving the scholarship must attend an Indiana public or private college or university accredited by the North Central Association of College and Schools.

The Community Foundation's selection committee reviewed thirteen applications this year. The applicants were evaluated on academics, financial need, activities (school activities, community service, and work experience), and writing samples. All four of the evaluation criteria were worth 25% each. This is the first year that the Community Foundation has not conducted interviews of the applicants. This was done so that the selection committee could use a blind process to evaluate the applications, meaning committee members did not know whose applications they were evaluating. After the Community Foundation’s selection committee selected the recipients, they submitted their recommendations to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), who makes the final decision on the scholarship recipients.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state. Lilly Endowment, Inc. contracts with them to administer the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program.

The scholarship program is the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment, Inc. initiative to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana. Indiana ranks near the bottom of the 50 states in the percentage of its residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree. Since the program began in 1998, more than 3,100 students have been selected from counties all across the state as Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.

Anyone interested in learning more information about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program or the Community Foundation can contact Pam Acton or Melissa Andrew at the Community Foundation’s office. They are located at 303 Ferry Street in Vevay and can be reached at 812-427-9160 or cfsci@cfsci.org.