Community Foundation of Noble County Announces Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipient

A Noble County student has been named recipient of a four-year, full-tuition scholarship as the Community Foundation of Noble County 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. Sahil Patel of East Noble High School was selected to receive full tuition to the Indiana college of his choice and a $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment. Sahil is the son of Pinki and Rajesh Patel of Kendallville.

Sahil plans to study biochemistry at Indiana University in the fall of 2018. Some of his activities in high school include Student Council President, St. John Lutheran Church, Campus Life, Parkview Noble Hospital Health and Wellness Center, Kendallville Public Library/Teens on Board, East Noble High School Science Olympiad, Theatre, National Honor Society, Academic Super Bowl, Golf Team/Manager, East Noble High School Newspaper, Noble Hawk Golf Links, Freshman Mentor Leader, Co-Captain of Math Team, and Captain of Science Team as well as other activities.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must reside in Noble County, attend an accredited high school, and achieve a high school grade point average of at least 3.80 on a 4.00 scale. Through their applications, students demonstrate their development as well-rounded, community-minded citizens through their community service, volunteerism, extracurricular activities and work experience as well as leadership roles.

This year’s 31 applicants were initially scored for academic performance, community service and volunteerism, extracurricular activities and work experience, as well as leadership roles. Additionally, applicants provided recommendation letters from two references and submitted three essays, which were evaluated by a community foundation committee of six Noble County citizens, who interviewed the top 10 finalists. Names of the top candidate and two alternates were then submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for final selection of the recipient. ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 30 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.
Those finalists not awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Community Foundation of Noble County. Those students are:
Delaney Andrews, Zachery Brazel, Adam Dills, Madelyn Fortman, Erika Maneke, Reginald Parker, Paige Skinner, Kyra Warren, Nathan Walz.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships are the result of a state-wide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education, according to the community foundation. Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree. A total of 143 Lilly scholarships are awarded statewide.

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.