We are pleased to announce that five Ripley County seniors have been selected as the finalists for the 2023 Ripley County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Join us in congratulating them! Ariel Haessig from Milan High School; Thomas Hartman from Batesville High School; Luke Jackson from East Central High School; Madison Rahschulte from Batesville High School; and Mason Schutte from East Central High School.
These exceptional students are engaged philanthropists serving their communities as volunteers at nursing homes, food pantries, and with organizations like Ripley Youth Outreach and 4-H. They have served their schools by participating in sports such as soccer, swim, track and field, and also being involved in Student Council, Drama Club, and the Marching Band. They have grown their knowledge by participating in National Honors Society, Academic Team, Business Professionals of America, and Kiwanis Student Leadership Academy. “We are proud to recognize the achievements of these students who demonstrate a desire to learn and a passion to leave a positive mark on the world,” stated Amy Streator, Executive Director of Ripley County Community Foundation. Streator further noted, “we look forward to supporting these students in the advancement of their education and are excited to see what they achieve in life.”
These five finalists were selected from a pool of 60 applicants representing seven local high schools: Batesville, East Central, Jac-Cen-Del, Milan, Oldenburg Academy, South Dearborn, and South Ripley. The scholarship selection process was anonymous and conducted by a committee of local, impartial individuals. Each applicant was evaluated on academic aptitude, citizenship, and leadership qualities as demonstrated through transcripts, letters of recommendation, responses to essays, and involvement in community and extra-curricular activities. The top five scores from the first round of evaluations moved on to the interview stage.
After the Ripley County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee narrowed the field to the five nominees and conducted interviews, the finalists’ applications were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for the final selection of the recipient.
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipient will receive full-tuition for four years to an Indiana College, plus a $900 per year book stipend, while the other four finalists will each receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Ripley County Community Foundation. They will also receive a Grateful Families Scholarship and a Jane Deiwert Scholarship in their sophomore and junior years.
Administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. with support from local community foundations, over 5,000 Indiana high school students have been awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
