The 2020 Starke County Community Foundation Lilly Endowment Community Scholar has been named and Knox High School Senior Jaigan Allport has received the distinction.
As a result, Allport will receive a four-year, full tuition scholarship to an Indiana college or university of his choice as well as a $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.
This funding opportunity is a result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education since Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree.
The Starke County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee nominated Allport for this prestigious opportunity from a filed of thirty-six applicants.
According to a SCCF press release, the applications are “blinded” during the selection process, meaning that the identities of the applicants are removed. The Committee then scores applicants on academic performance, volunteer and paid work, school activities and honors as well as essays. Out of the 36 applications, five are selected to move on to final review.
In addition to Allport, other finalists included North Judson-San Pierre student Allison Kraus, Oregon-Davis students Miranda Mills and Jayden Worthington and Nicholle Vandy of Knox High School.
The five remaining finalists are asked to write an impromptu essay and have a personal interview with the Scholarship Committee. Following those final steps, the Committee narrowed the field down to one nominee as their recommendation.
Finalists’ applications are then submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) for the final selection of the recipient. The ICI is a non profit corporation that represents 30 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.
Officials note that the primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program are to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana and increase awareness of the beneficial roles local community foundation play.
It also helps encourage and support the efforts of current and past Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, not-for-profit and civic leaders in order to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.
