The Fulton County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Fulton County – Addison Zimpleman of Caston High School.

Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.

Addison is the daughter of Greg and Camile Zimpleman and plans to study Business and Marketing after graduation.She’s involved in softball, basketball, volleyball, National Honor Society, Key Club, and several other organizations in which she has received awards and honors. Throughout the years, Addison has spent numerous hours volunteering with the Lions Club, the Fulton Community Center, and her youth group.

Wesley Steininger of Rochester High School was previously named the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. He will be pursuing his education at Vanderbilt University, where he will be in the ROTC program, in the fall.

“We wish Wesley the best as he leaves the state to pursue his educational goals,” says Shannon Berger, NICF Scholarship Coordinator. “We feel grateful to have such an excellent applicant pool that allows us to have many qualified students and are fortunate to be able to give this scholarship out to a different student. Addison is an impressive young lady who will only continue to excel in college.”

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. 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 (LSN), 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 (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.

In determining Fulton County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominees, the committee assesses a multitude of criteria including high academic performance and community involvement. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.

The 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalists include Alexa Finke,Tanner Reese, Annie Harsh, and Payton Moore, who will receive $1,000 scholarships from the Fulton County Community Foundation.

Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-99 school year and has supported the program every year since with grants totaling in excess of $505 million. More than 5,200 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.