The Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. is pleased to announce that the two Switzerland County Lilly Endowment Community Scholars for 2010 are Ariel Clark and Kayla Keith.
Ariel is the daughter of Steven and Paula Clark. She is the senior class president, team captain for the varsity volleyball team, historian for student council, and was crowned queen at the Aurora Farmer’s Fair. In the community, Ariel serves on the United Fund and Farm Bureau Insurance boards as a youth member. She also works at the YMCA and Camp Livingston. Ariel will major in English and is undecided on which college she plans on attending.
Kayla is the daughter of Steven & Carla Keith. She is the vice president of the National Honor Society, president of Student’s Taking Action in Today’s Society, vice president of the Conservation Club, and played varsity volleyball this year. In the community, Kayla has volunteered her time for the Salvation Army, Indian Creek Watershed, and many other organizations. She is also employed at Uptown Pizza and Mo’s Steakhouse. Kayla plans on attending Ball State University and majoring in psychology.
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 sixteen 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. The selection committee used 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. There were 216 scholarships awarded statewide this year.
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 info@cfsci.org.
The Community Foundation of Switzerland County’s mission is Connecting People Who Care With Causes That Matter For Good For Ever For Switzerland County.