Foundation Announces 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipients

The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for St. Joseph County: CeCelia Walls, New Prairie High School; Eli Young, Washington High School; Cesar Robles, Saint Joseph High School; and Joey Harshman, Saint Joseph High School. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are recognized for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.

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

Awards are based on academic excellence, leadership, community service, employment history, written essays, personal recommendations, underrepresentation, and whether the student is the first generation of his/her family to attend college. The Community Foundation received more than 140 applications from 17 schools.  Finalists’ names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection.

Since its inception in 1997–98, Lilly Endowment has supported this program with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million, benefiting over 5,400 Indiana students. The program’s primary purposes are:

• To raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana.
• To increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations play.
• To encourage and support Lilly Scholars’ engagement with Indiana leaders to improve quality of life statewide.

About the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County
Since 1992, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County has been connecting people who care with causes that matter. A nonprofit philanthropic endowment, the Community Foundation serves the people of St. Joseph County through initiatives and grantmaking in the areas of arts and culture, health and human services, youth and education, community development, and parks, recreation, and environment.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in Eli Lilly and Company. The Endowment supports community development, education, and religion, with a special commitment to Indianapolis and Indiana.

About Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI):
Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for Indiana’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year graduation rates and produce 30% of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20% of its undergraduates.