(Attica, IN) – Adalyn Small has been named the recipient of the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Fountain County. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.  Adalyn is the 44th Fountain County recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.

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 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. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects scholars 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 (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.

Miss Small, of Attica High School, has plans to attend a university majoring in Biology with a premed track. Her career goal is to be a radiologist. Adalyn ranks 1st in her graduating class with a 4.0 GPA.  She is the daughter of Christopher and Desirae Small of Attica.

Adalyn has been involved in numerous clubs, organizations, and sporting activities as she pursued her high school education including Softball, National Honor Society, Student Council, Band, Academic Bowl Teams, and more. Adalyn is a Patient Care Technician at Franciscan Health and has volunteered her time with many different organizations throughout her high school career.

One of Miss Small’s references wrote, “Adalyn’s zest for life and ability to reach people on all levels is what sets her apart. Her outstanding personality and noble character are some of her biggest attributes; there isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for someone, and she is always thinking of others over herself. I have never met a more driven young lady, who accomplishes anything and everything set before her. Adalyn is a one-of-a-kind individual who has found a balance between family, school, and life; it truly is a feat to be admired.”

Twenty-three Fountain County students applied for this year’s Lilly Scholarship.  The first phase of the selection process included the high school faculty of each school recommending up to six applicants from their school to be considered by the local scholarship committee representing the same school district.

The second phase included each scholarship committee reviewing the applications and interviewing each applicant.  Two nominees from each school are selected based on consensus.

The third phase of the selection process included each of the two nominees from each school being interviewed by the scholarship committees representing the two other school districts.  Each committee member independently scores each applicant in six categories including academic performance, school activities and work, volunteerism, financial need, letters of reference and a personal interview with each committee member.

Following the final scoring, finalists were forwarded to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for final selection of the Western Indiana Community Foundation’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipient.

Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-1998 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling in excess of $490 million. More than 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.

Western Indiana Community Foundation, established in 1990, is a nonprofit, tax-exempt philanthropic organization that was founded as Western Indiana’s partner, resource, and steward in philanthropy.  The Foundation manages $43.5 million in charitable assets and administers over 350 charitable funds – each of which supports the unique charitable intent of the donor who established the fund.  Annually, the Foundation awards nearly 1.2 million dollars in grants and scholarships to support Fountain County communities and is a National Standards certified community foundation.

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.

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.