The Rush County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Rush County –  Jenna Lawler of Rushville Consolidated High School.  Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.

Jenna is a resident of Center Township and is the daughter of Nancy Starke and Brad Lawler.  Jenna plans to attend Purdue University and major in Food Science with a focus on policy.  Her future goal includes preserving food safety and security for our country.  At RCHS, Lawler is heavily involved in FFA, where she has held numerous leadership positions and competed in state and national contests, Track and Field, National Honor Society, and several other organizations.  She is a 10-year 4-H member and has amassed numerous hours of community volunteer hours.

“The strong leadership experiences of this student, coupled with her drive and determination in academics, are some of the qualities that appealed to the nominating committee,” said Kristie Amos, program officer of the Rush County Community Foundation.

Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years. The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.

“The Lilly Scholarship truly has opened up a life changing opportunity for me. I now can attend school close to my family without fear of the financial burden it would cause otherwise. I am beyond grateful for this honor and know that I will do my best to proudly represent my community. I am once again fueled by the generosity of others,” said Lawler.

In determining Rush County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominees, consideration was given to Academics, Demonstrated Leadership, School Involvement, Financial Need, and Community Activities during a blind application review process by the LECSP Nominating Committee Name.  After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.

“Once again, the competition for this prestigious award was intense, and the committee worked diligently to evaluate the thirteen completed applications,” said Amos. “There were many students who had extremely strong applications. Students never know how close they may come to being awarded this, or any of the scholarships we offer, so they are encouraged to apply for all scholarships.”

Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-98 school year. Since then, grant funding in excess of $490 million has supported more than 5,300 Indiana students who have received scholarships through the program.

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

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 RCCF office at 117 N. Main St., Rushville, IN 46173, or call (765) 938-1177.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana

Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.