Cruz
The Community Foundation of Jackson County recently announced the recipient of the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Jackson County.
Ismael Satiago Cruz, a senior at Seymour High School, was selected from a group of outstanding applicants from all six high schools in Jackson County, Community Foundation of Jackson County Vice President Sue Smith said.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character and leadership, according to a news release from the foundation.
The son of Evenecer Santiago and Soledad Cruz Ramirez, Cruz will receive full tuition to the Indiana college of his choice and an annual stipend for required books and equipment. Ismael plans to study nursing at Indiana University in Bloomington.
“Ismael is the 44th Jackson County Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, and we are so excited for him,” Smith said.
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees and an allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years, she added.
The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students 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, 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 to Independent Colleges of Indiana and Indiana Humanities.
In determining Jackson County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominee, consideration was given to five areas — academics, curriculum, activities, essay and financial need — by the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee. After the field of applicants was narrowed, the nominee was submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.
“As always, the field included excellent applicants from across Jackson County,” Smith said.
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-98 school year. Since then, grant funding in excess of $490 million has supported more than 5,300 Indiana students who have received scholarships through the program.
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.
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment.
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