Bolte
The Community Foundation of Jackson County recently announced the recipient of the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Jackson County — Jenna Bolte, a senior at Brownstown Central High School.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character and leadership.
Bolte was among 127 Jackson County applicants this year for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. They were narrowed to 14 finalists, and Bolte was then selected as the nominee, foundation Vice President Sue Smith said.
“Jenna was selected from a group of outstanding applicants from all six high schools in Jackson County,” Smith said.
With the selection of Bolte, there are now 43 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars from Jackson County with the first recipient selected in 1998. During the 2024-25 academic year, there will be four Jackson County Lilly Scholars on college campuses throughout Indiana.
Bolte, the daughter of Suzanne Bolte of Brownstown, is in the process of determining where she will attend college next year. She plans to major in chemistry.
“I am interested in becoming a pediatrician,” she said.
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees and a stipend of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.
Recipients also may participate in the Lilly Scholars Network, which connects scholars with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and network are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana.
In nominating Jackson County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, consideration was given to academic achievement, advanced curriculum, school and community activities, a required essay and financial need by the foundation’s scholarship committee.
After the field of applicants was narrowed, the nominee was submitted to the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, Independent Colleges of Indiana, for the selection of scholarship recipients.
“We have so many high-caliber applicants that it always seems to be such a daunting task to decide on our finalists, but with our thorough application process, the field just seems to automatically narrow down to the best of the best,” said Trina Tracy, chairwoman of the foundation’s scholarship committee.
Lilly Endowment Inc. created the program for the 1998-99 school year and has supported it every year since with tuition grants totaling in excess of $439 million. More than 5,000 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since its inception.
The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana, increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities and 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.
Increasing educational attainment among Jackson County residents is an important part of the foundation’s mission to help grow better tomorrows, said Dan Davis, the foundation’s president and CEO.
“Concern about the education levels here was a key factor when the foundation brought other partners from across the county together to establish the Jackson County Learning Center, and we remain committed to that goal,” Davis said. “It is certainly part of our guiding efforts in administering scholarship funds entrusted to the foundation.”
The foundation’s efforts to improve educational opportunities extend beyond programs focused on college, including support of the Jackson County Education Coalition’s On My Way Pre-K pilot program for 4-year-olds and the encouragement of workforce development in partnership with Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. and others.
At a glance
The Community Foundation of Jackson County offers endowment services, gift planning, charitable gift annuities and scholarship administration.
Its assets total more than $18 million. The foundation administers more than 250 funds. Among them are 69 scholarship funds. During 2022-23 school year, 85 foundation scholarship recipients were on college and university campuses across Indiana and around the nation.
For information or to make a donation, call 812-523-4483 or go online at cfjacksoncounty.org.
The office is at 107 Community Drive, Seymour.