Lilly Endowment Scholarship Dinner
There I was, wandering around a university campus I was unfamiliar with. I reflected back on my first days away at college. It brought back memories of sheer excitement, a bit of terror, and the ambiguity of feeling like an adult and teenager all at the same time.
I was shopping for gifts that carried school spirit and represented each of the students’ college choice. On Wednesday, Legacy Foundation held its annual Lilly Endowment Scholarship Awards Dinner, where we honored the six students from Lake County who were awarded the 2016 Lilly Endowment scholarship. As part of the ceremony, I presented gifts to each of the students.
This year the students have chosen to attend Indiana University, Purdue University, and Rose Hulman Institute of Technology. Two of the schools have a satellite campus located in Northwest Indiana, so I went to each of the schools’ bookstores to purchase goodies. The gifts this year included an array of items proudly displaying their future alma maters: sweatshirts to walk around campus in, scarves to wear during fall football games, coffee mugs for late night study sessions, etc. Small things that I hope throughout the years will remind them of the excitement they felt beginning this new chapter of their lives.
At the ceremony I told the scholars college was one of the most exciting times in my life. I encouraged them to study hard but also to take the time to truly enjoy themselves. College is a marvelous time of learning, not just academics but who you are and what you are passionate about. I am so happy to have met these talented, bright and passionate young adults, and I look forward to following their successes.
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship covers four years of full tuition and books for any University or College, public or private, within the state of Indiana. It is a tremendous accomplishment for theses six students who were selected from a pool of over 180 students.
For more information on the Lilly Endowment Scholarship, as well as other scholarship opportunities with Legacy Foundation, please visit our Scholarship Guide.