Gibson County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Gibson County: Mallory Watt, Princeton Community High School. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are recognized for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership. “Mallory impressed us with her exceptional work ethic, leadership, and communication skills throughout the application and interview process,” said Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact. “She is a well-rounded, highly involved student, an athlete, a leader, and someone deeply committed to serving her community. The nominating committee was truly privileged to meet her and is proud to recommend her for this transformative opportunity.” Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Scholars also join the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects them with resources and opportunities to lead on campus and in their communities.

The Community Foundation Alliance is proud to announce that applications are now open for its Community Scholarship Program, offering hundreds of opportunities for students across Southwest Indiana and in select areas of Illinois and Kentucky. These scholarships, made possible by generous local donors, provide financial support for students pursuing college, university, technical programs, or other post-secondary education paths. “Our scholarships reflect the belief that investing in students is investing in the future of our communities,” said Melinda Waldroup, Chief Program Officer of the Community Foundation Alliance. “We want every eligible student in Southwest Indiana and select areas of Illinois and Kentucky to have access to these opportunities and feel confident applying.” Scholarship Program Highlights Wide Range of Awards: Hundreds of scholarships for graduating seniors and high school graduates across Southwest Indiana and select areas of Illinois and Kentucky. Simple Application Process: Scholarships can be completed through our online Community Scholarships Common Application. Select special scholarship opportunities can be found on each community’s website. Deadline: Applications are open today and close on January 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. How to Apply Visit communityfoundationalliance.org/scholarships. Review the 2026 Scholarship Guidebook. Find your community and click through to its website. Review all available scholarship opportunities and their eligibility criteria for your community. Complete the 2025–2026 Community Scholarships Common Application. Receive your automatic matches to scholarships you qualify for. Submit all required materials, including essays and recommendation letters, by January 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Start your application early! All supplemental materials must be submitted by the deadline, so build in plenty of time for each step. Give your references time to complete their recommendations, allow yourself enough time to write thoughtful essays, and request your transcripts early so your Guidance Counselor has time to process them. If you have any questions or need additional resources, please contact the staff member in your community. Kentucky & Illinois Michele Gates, Program Assistant mgates@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.429.1191 Daviess County Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact lhazelman@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.254.9354 Gibson County Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact asmith@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.386.8082 Knox County Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact lhazelman@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.886.0093 Perry County Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.547.3176 Pike County Laura Hazelman, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact lhazelman@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.890.4469 Posey County Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact asmith@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.838.0288 Spencer County Emily Alvey, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact ealvey@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.649.5724 Vanderburgh County Alysia Rhinefort, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact arhinefort@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.422.1245 Warrick County Alysia Rhinefort, Regional Director of Community Engagement & Impact arhinefort@communityfoundationalliance.org | 812.897.2030

The Gibson County Community Foundation announced that more than $155,000 has been awarded to 28 local nonprofits through its Community Good Grants Program. These grants support projects that strengthen the Gibson County community and improve the quality of life for local residents. “At its heart, the Community Foundation is here to build a stronger future for Gibson County,” said Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact. “When our donors invest through the Foundation, they’re helping local organizations tackle real issues and create lasting impact.”

The Community Foundation Alliance is proud to announce that Justin O’Connor has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Mark Kniese Scholarship. This year marks the 23rd year of the scholarship, with more than $65,000 awarded since its creation. This scholarship will support O’Connor with his studies in Biomedical Health Science at Purdue University. The Mark Kniese Scholarship was established by August Neal in memory of Mark Kniese, a beloved former counselor at Camp Carson in Princeton. Applicants must demonstrate exceptional dedication and rapport with campers while exemplifying the YMCA’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. O’Connor has been a part of Camp Carson since he was six years old, first as a camper and later as a staff member. “Camp holds a very special place in my heart… it's always been somewhere that I can leave behind my outside worries and focus on the present,” he said. “As a staff member, it has meant being able to experience what it feels like to truly spend the time bettering others instead of just yourself.” He credits his years at camp with inspiring his career path. “Because of camp, I'm able to stay grounded and remember that the reason I want to study medicine is to better the lives of those around me.” While applying for the scholarship, O’Connor reflected on the legacy of Mark Kniese. “He was someone who put the campers before himself and put his entire heart into the work that he did. As a counselor, I strove every day to follow in his footsteps and to carry on his legacy.” Now in its 23rd year, the Mark Kniese Scholarship continues to honor a counselor who served campers and made a difference in their lives. Through the generosity of those who contribute to this fund, the scholarship not only supports higher education but also inspires recipients to carry forward the spirit of service and compassion that defined Mark Kniese’s life.

After severe storms and tornadoes affected Gibson County this spring, a number of local organizations moved quickly to help families recover, providing supplies, shelter, and vital support services. With funding made possible through a Special Project grant from the Gibson County Community Foundation, these efforts reached even further. In total, $18,000 in grant funding was directed to groups assisting with immediate disaster response and infrastructure repair: $9,000 to the American Red Cross Southwest Indiana Chapter $1,500 to the Salvation Army Princeton $2,500 to Sheep Dog Impact Assistance $5,000 to the Gibson County Fairgrounds Pavilion, Inc. “As a board, we deliberately set aside funding for critical needs like this. We were glad to be in a position to provide aid at a time when folks needed it most,” said Matt Monroe, Gibson County Community Foundation County Advisory Board President. On the ground, these funds translated into real help, cleanup kits, health services, and storage supplies for impacted families, as well as gas for chainsaws and generators used in cleanup efforts. For some organizations, like the American Red Cross, the grant allowed them to offer direct financial assistance and continued emotional support. “The American Red Cross responds to disasters every eight minutes, providing shelter, emergency supplies, and emotional support to those impacted,” said Beth Sweeney, Executive Director of the Southwest Chapter of the Indiana Region. “On March 15, disaster workers with the Indiana Region were on the ground in Gibson County, assisting residents after severe weather by assessing damages, providing health and mental health services, financial assistance, cleanup kits, and information about recovery resources. The support of our donors and community partners, such as the Gibson County Community Foundation, enables the Red Cross to respond to disasters and help those who need it most," she added. In another part of the county, spring flooding had damaged critical infrastructure at the Gibson County Fairgrounds. A $5,000 grant supported the emergency replacement of a major drainage pipe, restoring road access and ensuring safety ahead of upcoming community events. "On behalf of the board of directors of The Gibson County Fairgrounds Pavilion Inc. and the Gibson County Fairground, I would like to thank [Gibson County Community Foundation] for awarding us with a $5,000 grant to assist in the replacement of a large culvert at the fairgrounds," said Charles Woodruff, President of the Gibson County Fair Board. "[Gibson County Community Foundation’s] generous support will ensure the safety and functionality of the fairgrounds. The replacement of the culvert is vital for the longevity of the infrastructure, and [their] contribution plays a crucial role in this significant improvement." The grants were made quietly, but with urgency. While the storms made headlines, it was the collaboration among local organizations and partners that made a lasting difference, focusing on what mattered most: helping neighbors recover and move forward.

The Gibson County Community Foundation distributed more than $35,000 to 15 local Gibson County students from its Community Scholarship Program. These scholarships are funded by generous donors who have established a scholarship fund with the Gibson County Community Foundation. Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Community Scholarship Program! 1971 WMHS Alumni Scholarship – Elijah Schlottman 1993 Kiwanis Club of Princeton Memorial Scholarship – Gage Michael Maglis Arts Council of Gibson County Scholarship – Emily Howell Betty Ann McCullough Education Scholarship – Ainsley Sheffer Bob Key Memorial Education Scholarship – Aleksandra Parmer George & Dorthy Eykamp Scholarship – Braeden Davis Kevin Dillon Gibson Southern Memorial Scholarship – Elizabeth Steckler Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship 1st Alternate Scholarship – Allison Spindler Lois Brink Memorial Nursing Scholarship – Emma Engelbrecht Martha H. Brokaw Memorial Scholarship – Heidi Breidenbaugh Norma J. Byrne Memorial Scholarship – Emma Engelbrecht Project Associates Engineering Scholarship – Kelsey Ellis Raymond and Gretchen Ceney Memorial Scholarship – Heidi Breidenbaugh South Gibson College Continuation Scholarship – Isaac Pohl Sutch-Briner Memorial Scholarship – Heidi Breidenbaugh Warren W. Parke Memorial Scholarship – Grace Strickland William & Lois Jackson Memorial Scholarship Noah Wagener Kyra Matsel

Pictured (left to right): Rick Coleman, North Gibson Education Foundation, Inc. (NGEF) Board Member; Samantha Mays, NGEF Board Member; Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact; Susan Carey, NGEF Board President; and JD Weagley, NGEF Board Member.

The 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship application is now available in Gibson County through the Gibson County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program (LECSP) will provide 147 scholarships statewide and one scholarship in Gibson County. LECSP scholarships may be used for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year. The special allocation may cover the costs 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. The program, administered statewide by Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and locally in Gibson County through the Gibson County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Alliance, is open to all Indiana residents who: graduate from an accredited Indiana high school by 2026 and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2026; intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an eligible college or university in Indiana; and meet the criteria specific to Gibson County Community Foundation. Visit gibsoncountycf.org/lilly-endowment-community-scholarship-program for complete information regarding the Gibson County application criteria. Students can learn more about the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Gibson County and apply for this scholarship by visiting the Gibson County Community Foundation website. Applications must be completed and submitted by August 25, 2025, to be considered. Applications will be evaluated on, but not limited to, the following criteria: GPA, school activities and work experience, community service, volunteer activities, personal statement/unusual circumstances, impromptu essay, and interview. Three finalists will be nominated by the Gibson County Community Foundation, and their names will be submitted to ICI for final selection of the recipients. Scholarship recipients will be notified in December.  Lilly Endowment created LECSP for the 1997-98 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million. More than 5,400 Indiana students have received Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships since the program’s inception. The primary purposes of LECSP 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. Gibson County Community Foundation is again pleased to offer LECSP for its 29th year in Gibson County. “The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program is a remarkable opportunity for high school seniors in Gibson County. I’m honored to be part of a process that recognizes students’ achievements and aspirations. Not only transforms the life of its recipient by supporting their educational and personal growth, but it also benefits the local community by investing in future leaders who are likely to give back and make a lasting difference in the region,” said Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact.

Gibson County Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2025 Community Good Grants Program. Nonprofit organizations serving Gibson County are encouraged to apply by Monday, August 4, 2025. Community Good Grants are awarded to charitable partners addressing a wide range of local needs. Funding is available to support programs and projects that make a meaningful impact in Gibson County communities. Organizations can find detailed grant guidelines and submit their application online . For questions or assistance, please contact Amy Smith, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact, at 812.386.8082 or asmith@communityfoundationalliance.org.