2023 Laidig Service Scholarship Winners Announced
Five local students receive scholarships, paid internships
The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County has named five St. Joseph County students as 2023 Jon and Sonja Laidig Community Service Scholars.
This year’s Laidig Scholars came from a pool of nearly 40 students from ten different areas high schools. The recipients are Christian Jackson, Riley High School, who will study business administration and marketing at Indiana University Bloomington; Josephine Lawrence, Adams High School, who will study art education at Indiana University South Bend; Elliana Lemberis, LaVille High School, who will study engineering at Purdue University; Olivia Leonhard, LaVille High School, who will study biology at Trine University; and Aurora Nunez, St. Joseph High School, who will study biology and marketing at Holy Cross.
The Jon and Sonja Laidig Community Service Scholarship provides St. Joseph County students with generous tuition assistance and an opportunity to give back to their community through a paid summer internship, served with some of St. Joseph County’s best nonprofit agencies. This year’s internship locations include Hope Ministries, Camp Millhouse, Reins of Life, Unity Gardens, St. Margaret’s House, Dismas, Prairie Winds Nature Farm.
The value of the scholarship is $8,750 ($3,750 for the internship and up to $5,000 in tuition scholarship), and it is renewable for up to four years.
Launched in 2009, this program includes a total of 16 students who will return to St. Joseph County this summer to complete their internships at local nonprofit agencies. Jon and Sonja Laidig Community Service Scholarship awards are based on academic excellence, financial need, community service, leadership, and a desire to contribute to one’s community and society.