Last Updated on December 10, 2020 by Cass County Community Foundation
SOURCE: News release & photo from Cass County Community Foundation
The Cass County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that Rachel Calisto, a senior at Logansport High School will receive a full tuition, four-year scholarship as the Cass County Community Foundation 2021 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. She will receive not only full tuition to the Indiana college of her choice but also a $900 stipend each year for required books and equipment.
Rachel, the youngest of four, is the daughter of David and Natalie Calisto. She plans to attend IUPUI to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing with the end goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. She currently has a 3.94 GPA on an unweighted 4.0 scale all while working an average of 27 hours per week as an essential associate at Wal-Mart.
Rachel is a member of many school organizations and holds leadership positions serving as a class vice president her sophomore year and class treasurer both her junior and senior year. She has been elected to Student Council all four years, is a member of National Honor Society, Key Club, Pep Club, Spanish Club and Diversity Club as well as playing tennis and participating in cross country. She has received the Distinguished Scholar Award, Academic Excellence Award, Top 20 Junior Award and 4.0 GPA Honors.
Rachel is the 20th recipient from Logansport High School and the 40th Lilly Scholarship Recipient for Cass County since the program began in 1998.
The Cass County Community Foundation received 33 applications for the 2021 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. Applicants were required to have a 3.5 or higher GPA plus submit other nomination materials. All identifying details, such as student’s name, gender, and school name, were removed from the applications prior to review. Six finalists were selected based solely on the criteria, which include academic ability, achievements, activities, and citizenship. The finalists then participated in further review, which included writing an impromptu timed essay, followed by a face-to-face interview session with the committee. After completing the process, the CCCF Lilly Scholarship Committee submitted the applications of the 2021 nominee and alternates to the Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for selection. Each of the finalist not selected will receive an award directly from the Cass County Community Foundation in recognition of their outstanding, high achievement.
The program is administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. with local support from Indiana community foundations. ICI is a non-profit corporation that represents thirty regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges, and universities in the state.
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.
For more information on this award or the Cass County Community Foundation, please call 574-722-2200.