Preston Asher is Switzerland County’s 2022-2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipient

Preston is the son of Patricia and David Padgett of Vevay.  He serves as the President of BPA, Vice President of Student Council and President of the National Honor Society.  Outside of school, Preston works as a lead cook at Belterra Casino & Resort and volunteers his time for many different charitable organizations.  Preston plans on majoring in finance at the Indiana college/university of his choice. 

Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects scholars with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI).

The Community Foundation of Switzerland County’s selection committee reviewed eleven applications this year.  The applicants were evaluated on academics, activities (school activities, community service, and work experience), writing samples and financial need.  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 reviewed and evaluated all of the applications, they submitted their recommendation to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), who made the final decision on the scholarship recipient.

Since 1997, ICI has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities.

Lilly Endowment Inc. has provided just over $439 million in grant support for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program since the program was created for the 1997-1998 school year.  To date, more than 5,000 Indiana high school students have been awarded the scholarship.

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