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There’s a common assumption in economic development conversations: if you want to grow a community, you invest in infrastructure, attract new businesses, and expand industry.

Those things matter. But they’re not where growth begins.

Growth begins with people.

In Fayette County, we face a unique reality. We do not have institutions of higher education within our borders. When our students pursue a four-year degree or specialized training, they typically have to leave. On the surface, that can feel like a loss — as though we are exporting our greatest asset.

But that’s only part of the story.

Because when we invest in people, we are not sending them away. We are preparing them to come back stronger.

At the Fayette Community Foundation, scholarships are one of the most direct ways we invest in the future of our community. Yes, they help students afford tuition. More importantly, they expand opportunity — and opportunity is the foundation of long-term economic vitality for our community.

When a young adult earns a degree, completes a certification, or gains specialized skills, they carry that knowledge with them wherever they go. When they choose to return home — as many do — they bring those skills back with them. They become our nurses, our business owners, our educators, our civic leaders.

They become the workforce every community is trying to attract.

Paolo Amora is one of those future leaders. You’ll recall his name from our 2025 scholarship season.

When Paolo was named a Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, he was recognized not just for his academic achievements, but for the way he thinks about community. As part of the selection process, he was asked to design a hypothetical service project. Instead of treating it like an assignment, he treated it like a responsibility.

He visited The Shelter, Inc., asked what was truly needed, and listened.

What he discovered was simple, but profound: at the time (October of 2025), there was no place in Fayette County for individuals experiencing homelessness to take a shower. His proposal focused on restoring something many of us take for granted — dignity. 

That instinct — to listen first, to understand, to respond with care — is exactly the kind of leadership that strengthens a community. That’s the kind of neighbor you want.

This Fall, Paolo will attend Indiana University Bloomington to study biology on a pre-med track. He plans to become a pediatrician. Although we’re quite a few years from that point, he hopes to return home to practice medicine in rural Indiana, where access to care remains a challenge.

That’s what investing in people looks like in practice.

It looks like a student leaving with purpose — and returning with impact.

Scholarships don’t just shape the future workforce. They strengthen families today. That’s what we’re doing and why the Fayette Community Foundation continues to administer scholarships.

For many households, the cost of education can be overwhelming. Scholarships ease that burden. They create breathing room. They allow families to support their children’s ambitions without sacrificing financial stability. That stability has ripple effects — supporting local spending, reducing stress, and creating a stronger foundation at home.

And our work doesn’t stop with recent graduates.

Economic development isn’t only about the next generation. It’s also about the current one.

When adults in Fayette County need to reskill — whether due to industry changes, job loss, or a desire to advance — scholarships and educational support can open doors that might otherwise remain closed. That means more residents are equipped to meet the evolving needs of local employers. It means businesses can grow with confidence, knowing a capable workforce exists right here at home.

In other words, investing in people doesn’t just benefit individuals. It builds capacity across the entire community.

It’s easy to measure economic development in buildings, jobs, and dollars. Those metrics matter, but they are the result — not the starting point. 

The starting point is a student who chooses to pursue a dream.

It’s a parent who can breathe a little easier knowing that dream is within reach.

It’s a worker who gains new skills and new confidence.

And it’s a community that believes its people are worth investing in.

When we support scholarships at the Fayette Community Foundation, we are not simply funding an expense. We are making a long-term investment — one that pays dividends in talent, leadership, stability, and growth.

Because the truth is simple:

If you want to grow a community, you grow its people. When you do that well, they have a way of coming home. We’ll be waiting to welcome them back and show them how Fayette County is growing and changing, too.