Starke County Community Foundation Announces 2017 Lilly Scholar

Posted on December 19, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI

A Culver Community High School senior is the Starke County Community Foundation 2017 Lilly Scholar.

Joshua Kresk will receive a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to an Indiana college or university of his choice and a $900 annual stipend for required books and equipment.

The son of Steve and Terry Krsek, Joshua plans to attend Purdue University and major in engineering.

Joshua is a member of Culver Youth Community Organization, National Honor Society and Science Club. He was Hoosier Boys State delegate and a Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference Ambassador. Joshua has also participated in football, basketball and baseball for four years.

The Starke County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee selected him from a field of 40 applicants. In past years, the winner has been announced in the spring. This year applications were due in September. The change was made in an effort to identify Lilly Scholars earlier in the school year to give recipients more time to decide which college or university to attend.

The identities of the applicants are removed during the selection process. The committee scores each applicant on academic performance, volunteer and paid work, school activities and honors and essays.

Of the 40 applicants, five finalists were selected for a final review. They were asked to write an impromptu essay and had a personal interview with the scholarship committee, which narrowed the field to one recommended nominee. Finalists’ applications are submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for the final selection of the recipient.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents thirty-one regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.

The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree.

The students who were finalists and interviewed for the scholarship were Alyssa Amidei of Knox High School, Jason Danford, Jr. of Tri Township (LaCrosse) High School, Noelle Heise of Knox High School and Sarah Hopkins of North Judson-San Pierre High School.