Scott County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, Hailey Schafer of Scottsburg High School. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character and leadership. She joins 42 other Lilly Scholar recipients from Scott County since 1998.
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 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) and Indiana Humanities.
Hailey is the daughter of Steve and Deana Schafer of Scottsburg. She volunteers for the Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council and Big Brothers Big Sisters. She is a member of First Christian Church, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society and Pep Club. She plays on the softball team. Hailey is ranked first in her class with a 4.0 grade point average. She plans to attend the University of Evansville to major in biochemistry/pre-med.
“Words will never be able to truly express my gratitude toward the Community Foundation and Scholarship Committee for making me this year’s recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship,” said Hailey. “Being awarded this scholarship is not only a blessing but the biggest honor. I am so grateful to my community, my friends, and my family for helping me reach this point and supporting me along the way. From a young age, this scholarship was a long-term dream of mine, and now it is a reality that will lift the burden of financial stress during my undergraduate. I cannot wait to continue to pursue my dreams, with the assistance of this scholarship, as I will be on my path of majoring in biochemistry, going to medical school, and pursuing my passion of becoming a pediatrician.”
“On behalf of the Community Foundation’s Scholarship Committee and Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce Hailey Schafer as the recipient of the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship,” said Scholarship Committee Chair Tinisha Bowles-Densford. “The Scholarship Committee was overwhelmingly impressed with the candidates this year, and all finalists should be very proud of themselves and their academic achievements. We know that Hailey will be an outstanding representative of our community and successful in all that she chooses to do. Congratulations, Hailey!”
Students were judged based on community involvement, extra-curricular activities, work activities, academics, financial considerations, honors and awards, letters of recommendation and two essays. Eight students advanced to the interview portion as finalists. After the scholarship committee narrowed the field, nominees were submitted to ICI for the selection of the Scott County recipient. ICI is the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-1999 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling in excess of $505 million. More than 5,200 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception. The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 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.
Since awarding its first community grants totaling $50,000 in 1997, the Scott County Community Foundation has been Scott County’s partner for positive change. Scholarships and grants totaling more than $6 million have made it possible for local students to attend college and for the diverse needs of our neighbors to be served. In addition, over $13 million has been funneled to Scott County through the Community Foundation through the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc.
