News

The Fayette Community Foundation is pleased to announce that Harley Morris, a Connersville High School student, has been selected as the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) recipient for Fayette County. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are recognized for their academic achievement, leadership, character, and significant involvement in their communities.

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 equipment for four years. The scholarship is for undergraduate students studying on a full-time basis 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 Inc. to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.

Harley Morris, Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, shared, “I am beyond excited to be chosen for this scholarship. I am extremely grateful for all the people that have supported me in this process and helped me get to where I am today. This scholarship will help kick start my academic journey to becoming a physical therapist.” 

In determining Fayette County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominee, consideration was given to academic achievement, volunteering and community engagement, extracurricular activities, recommendations, special circumstances, and essay responses.

The top five applicants, identified solely by their scores in Phase One, advanced to Phase Two. This phase included a Meet and Greet with the committee, followed by presentations and interviews, evaluated using a standardized rubric. Scores from these evaluations were combined with Phase One scores to determine the recipient. Our nominations were then submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.

“Meeting this year’s finalists and learning about their impressive goals was truly inspiring. Each candidate showcased remarkable dedication to our community and their futures. It is an honor to have played a small part in awarding this scholarship to Harley, whose passion and potential truly stood out. We are excited to see all that Harley will achieve,” said Abigail Roszell, Executive Director of the Fayette Community Foundation. 

Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-99 school year and has supported the program every year since with grants totaling more than $490 million. Over 5,300 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception. 

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.

About Fayette Community Foundation 

The Fayette Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing the quality of life in Fayette County through meaningful philanthropy, strategic grantmaking, and strong community partnerships. Guided by our mission to inspire a spirit of philanthropy and leadership, we connect donors, nonprofits, and local initiatives to address community needs and create lasting impact. Together, we strive to build a vibrant and thriving Fayette County for generations to come.

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 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. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

About Independent Colleges of 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.