By Kallie Sulanke—
Muncie, IN—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, Samuel Coffman of Wapahani High School and Samuel Voss of Muncie Central High School.
Lilly Endowment Community Scholars receive a four-year award that grants full tuition to any accredited public or private non-profit college or university in Indiana. The Lilly Scholarship also covers fees and provides an annual stipend for required books and equipment.
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program is administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) with local support from Indiana community foundations. Since 1998, 4,912 Indiana high school students have been awarded the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
Coffman and Voss were selected out of an applicant pool of 52 candidates from high schools across Delaware County. Each high school selects one nominee to be a scholarship finalist.
“The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Delaware County is awarded to students with leadership potential, who are well-rounded and community-minded,” said Kelly K. Shrock, president of The Community Foundation. “Sam Coffman and Sam Voss have impacted their school communities and the broader community with their leadership and personal action. These young men are deserving of being called a Lilly Scholar, an honor that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
Samuel Coffman, a senior at Wapahani High School, plans to study international relations and politics. He is the son of Jennifer and Michael Coffman. Coffman is a student-athlete and is involved in several in school and out-of-school clubs and activities. Most recently, Coffman completed an internship at Muncie YMCA where he planned the first-ever Youth Voter Block Party. In addition, Coffman has launched other community-based initiatives such as Experience: Youth Homelessness to raise awareness about individuals in his community who face periods of homelessness or lack necessities, and Blessings Box Project that provides toiletries, non-perishable food, and clothing to students in need anonymously.
Samuel Voss, a senior at Muncie Central High School, plans to study social work. He is the son of Henry and Johanna Voss. Voss co-founded Dressember at Muncie Central, which is a fundraiser and awareness program for human trafficking. Over the last four years, Voss has raised more than $4,000 that was donated to TRU Harbor, a local program that provides care for girls freed from human trafficking. Voss is a four-sport athlete for Muncie Central, where he runs track and cross county, swims, and serves as the captain of the soccer team.
In selecting Delaware County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholars, consideration is given to leadership potential, community and civic service, student activities and achievements, and academic ability. After the field of school nominees was narrowed, the finalists’ names were submitted to ICI for the selection of the recipients.
Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that represents 30 regionally accredited degree-granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships are a result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 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, non-profit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. Lilly Endowment Inc. has provided over $424M in grant support for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, since its inception in 1998.
