1st June 2017 On Monday, May 15, 2017 the Rush County Community Foundation [RCCF] hosted their annual Scholarship Celebration and distributed 125 scholarship awards to 84 students. These scholarships were awarded from 72 RCCF endowed scholarship funds and from the Lilly Endowment which funds the Rush County Lilly Scholar award. An enthusiastic group of 250 fund donors, scholarship recipients, board members, and friends of the foundation gathered at the Rushville Consolidated High School cafeteria for the celebration to award over $166,000 to our Rush County students. Alisa Winters, RCCF Executive Director warmly welcomed the group, “tonight is a special evening for each of us, as scholarship recipients, guests, donors, and Foundation friends, and we are so glad to have each and every one of you here with us this evening.” Speaking about the Foundation Winters continued, “Because of our donors, the Rush County Community Foundation is proud to be concluding our 25th anniversary year. This milestone has truly been a time for celebration – in 25 years our assets have grown to over 16 million dollars and we have given over 10 million dollars exclusively within Rush County. The Foundation now holds 193 endowment funds, funds that are permanently invested to give back to the charitable good of our community – forever.” She went on to highlight the important role of RCCF volunteers, these dedicated individuals provide invaluable leadership on the Board, the Scholarship Nominating Committee, and on several other committees at the Foundation. RCCF Program Coordinator, Kendra Steible gave an update on the scholarship selection process. Steible spoke about the increasing costs of higher education and how the Foundation is seeking to respond to this change, while remaining true to the donor intent of each named scholarship fund. One example she cited was awarding Frank and Frances Hilburt Scholarships. The Hilburt fund was establish with the intent to provide support to a student or students who have finished one year of college or more, and plan to practice their profession in Rush County. The fund defines “profession” as working in the field of medicine, law, pharmacy, teaching, accounting, or nursing. Over the years as the fund has grown the Foundation has been able to give scholarships more broadly than these narrow parameters; but as the cost of school has gone up RCCF is making an effort to make larger scholarship grants that will have a meaningful impact on a student’s ability to finish college. So in the future, funds including the Hilburt will focus more heavily on the founding parameters, generating fewer, but larger scholarship grants. Another scholarship fund that was highlighted, during the presentation of scholarships was the Jinks Family Scholarship. This is the first year this fund has reached full maturity. The Jinks fund was established by Sara Jinks with the intent to provide one year of tuition for a college student in a program which will lead to a career in teaching. This year two recipients each received $8,000. After all the scholarships were awarded James Brashaber, Rush County’s 2013 Lilly Scholar offered his thanks to the community, the Foundation, his parents, and to Lilly Endowment for the opportunity to represent our county in the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program over the last four years at Depauw University. He spoke of his accomplishments as evidence of the incredible preparation and support given by Rush County Schools and our community at large. His heartfelt thanks and charge to give back underscored the themes of the celebration. Meeting the philanthropic needs of Rush County since 1991, The Rush County Community Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit public charity established to serve donors, award grants and scholarships, and provide leadership to enrich and enhance the quality of life in Rush County, Indiana, not only today, but for our future generations. For more information please visit or contact the Foundation office at 117 N. Main St., Rushville, IN 46173. The 2017 scholarships awarded are as follows: Scholarship Fund Awardee(s) Hubert and Grace Alexander Scholarship Fund John Riddell John Sam Anderson Scholarship Fund Karyn Banks William F. and Lelande Anise Hunt Beher Memorial Scholarship Fund Kristina Spaeth Marcia and Les Blair Community Scholarship Fund Brooklyn Herbert Ken Brashaber FFA Scholarship Fund Macey Orme Ken Brashaber Purdue FarmHouse Scholarship Fund Austin Hubbell Devin Lux Scott Brooks Memorial Scholarship Fund Megyn Kirchoff Grant Brower Memorial Scholarship Fund Isaac Sheehan Jack and Cinda Brown Basketball Mental Attitude Scholarship Fund Brandi Adkins Jarrett Adkins Richard and Loretta Busald Family Nursing Scholarship Fund Casey Yager Hubert E. and Anna Louise Chance Memorial Scholarship Fund Madison Sutter Harold Clifton and Frances Mitchell Clifton Memorial Scholarship Fund Kayla Fogg Christopher Lee Davis Scholarship Fund Walker Meckes Mental Health Association Bobby Dean Scholarship Fund Austin Dwenger The Richard S. Earnest Diabetes Scholarship Fund Satchel Kuhn Morris F. and Jane Marshall Fisher Fund Brandi Spaeth Danny E. and Barbara J. Gettinger and Family Scholarship Fund Jessica Miller David L. Green, M.D. Creativity Award Jarrett Adkins Jeremiah Newhouse Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Green and Barbara Blacklidge Green Scholarship Trenten Herbert Dr. Frank H. Green and Jean C. Green Memorial Fund Emma Beavers Norma R. Harcourt School of Nursing Memorial Scholarship Fund Maria Geise Carol Niehoff Hardwick Memorial Scholarship Fund Bree Huskins Lora Brook Hatfield Memorial Scholarship Fund Georgeanna Lawhorne Kinsey Palmer Kyle Henderson Memorial Scholarship Fund Brett Leisure Brayton Schultz Brett VanNatta Frank L. and Frances L. Hilburt Scholarship Fund Kelsi Ash Hannah Augsburger Meghan Barnes Kari Carter Kaitlin Chandler Victoria Colestock Carissa Comstock Monica Dougherty Patrick Duffy, Jr. Austin Dwenger Kylee Elleman Samantha Fowler Mason Gordon Karli Hall Sarah Harpring Makayla Herbert Thomas Holloman Fayella Horn Austin Hubbell Taylor Jones Piedad Leon McKenzie Mohler Amy Neuman Katy Newbold Keragan Niehoff Nathan Niehoff Haley Riddell Rebecca Riggs Abigail Roszell Brevin Runnebohm Ellie Sammons Heidi Schultz Laura Smith Kristina Spaeth Keely Springman Michael Tague Casey Yager Justin Yager Taylor Yager Ruth and Bill Houk Scholarship Fund Payton Brower Jeff Hufford Memorial Scholarship Fund Zinnia Leon Courtney Anne Huskins Memorial Scholarship Fund Karyn Banks Emma Beavers Mekyna Hall Lauryn Payne Jinks Family Scholarship Fund Karli Hall Keragan Niehoff Rush County Junior Leader 4-H Scholarship Fund Scarlett Wehr Michael J. Keith Memorial Scholarship Fund Mason Gordon Austin Hubbell Walker Meckes Brett VanNatta George E. King, D.V.M. Veterinary Scholarship Fund Fayella Horn Kiwanis Scholarship Fund Michaela Stout Madeline Gullion Knight Memorial Scholarship Fund Jacqueline Fritz Victor and Dorothy Koontz Memorial Scholarship Fund Thomas Holloman Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Nominee Fund Brayton Schultz Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program Keith Yager Grayson J. Mahin Scholarship Fund Gracey Owens Thomas F. Marshall Scholarship Fund Haley Riddell Margaret E., M. Ralph and William R. Matney Scholarship Fund Jenna Dodd Brooke Taylor Mays Elementary 1929-2015 Scholarship Fund Alisha Markley Jessy L. McClure Memorial Scholarship Fund Gracey Owens Joan L. McLaughlin Memorial Scholarship Fund Lauryn Payne Isaac Sheehan Robert Meyer and Family 4-H Scholarship Fund Laura Smith Phillip E. Mitchell Scholarship Fund Laura Smith Frances Duncan Murphy Scholarship Fund Yessica Leon Dick Neeb Memorial Scholarship Fund Ethan Duncan Trenten Herbert Brett VanNatta Stephen M. Petry Memorial Scholarship Fund Heidi Schultz Bob and Avie Pike Family Memorial R.N. Scholarship Fund Haley Riddell R.N. Club Scholarship Fund Maria Geise Rex A. & Lucille G. Readle Scholarship Fund Monica Dougherty Duward G. Reddick Kiwanis Scholarship Fund Ethan Duncan Charlotte Frame Sleeth Scholarship Fund Mekyna Hall Holli Spaeth Memorial Scholarship Fund Kelly Brown Kayla Fogg Zinnia Leon Brayton Schultz Michaela Stout Ashley Spurlin Memorial Scholarship Fund Andrew Rice William Thoman Maurice W. “Porky” Wainwright Scholarship Fund Bryan Newby Wilma B. Wainwright Memorial Scholarship Fund Nathaniel Hoeing Rush County Friends of Purdue Scholarship Fund Kayla Fogg Jean H. Walker and Ivan G. Alexander Fund Kayla Aldridge Ward, Richardson, and Corn Families Scholarship Fund Madison Sutter Marian G. White Purdue Scholarship Fund Mekyna Hall Alice R. Wiley Scholarship Fund Payton Brower The Gordon D. and Mary S. Wilson Scholarship Fund Hannah Augsburger John and Susan Wilson Unsung Hero Award Jarrett Adkins Robert L. Winters Scholarship Fund Georgeanna Lawhorne Like this? Share it:
