WHS Senior Alaina Thorne named 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipient

The Daviess County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that Alaina Thorne is the 2022 recipient of the Daviess County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.

“It was a pleasure to work closely with our dedicated members of the scholarship nomination committee to determine finalists and nominate this year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipient, Alaina Thorne. Alaina is an impressive student and I look forward to seeing her excel during the next four years of college, and many years to come. Although we could only nominate one student for the award, all finalists should be very proud of their accomplishments.

This is a stellar group of students!” said Melinda Waldroup, Director of Programs and Strategic Engagement, Community Foundation Alliance.
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.

Alaina Thorne is the daughter of Dr. Marcus Thorne and Dr. Jacqueline Graber, of Washington, IN. She is a senior at Washington High School and plans to attend Notre Dame University studying Pre-Medicine – Biomedical Engineering. In addition to exceling academically, Thorne has been involved in a variety of school activities including Deca, Student Council, and Business Professionals of America. She is active in athletics - basketball, volleyball and tennis. Thorne received a varsity letter every year she has played, and has been named all-conference in all three sports. She was named team captain for both basketball and volleyball her junior and senior years. Outside of school, Thorne has
participated in New Hope Christian Church Journey through Bethlehem, Feed My Sheep canned food drive, and a Christmas program helping families.

In nominating Daviess County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, consideration was given to academic performance, community service and volunteer activities, personal statement of goals and essay, school activities, sports and work experience, finalist impromptu essay, and finalist interview. After the field of applicants was narrowed down by the Daviess County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) Nominating Committee, the nominee and alternates were submitted to the statewide administrator of the LECSP, Independent Colleges of Indiana, for the selection of the scholarship recipient.

Scholarship award alternates were also announced. Trista Swartzentruber from Barr-Reeve High School was named first alternate and Seth Allison from Washington High School was named second alternate. Each will receive a $3,000 scholarship from the Friends of Daviess County Fund. In addition, all remaining finalists will also receive a scholarship from the Friends of Daviess County Fund.

The LECSP is administered locally by the Community Foundation, with the support of local high schools, and the administrative oversight by the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. Lilly Endowment created the LECSP for the 1998-1999 school year and has supported the program 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 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.