Katelyn Goodrich, Jazzlynn Baines, Austin Brown, Haley Johnson, Brianna Scivinsky
Not Pictured: Maya Briseno Portillo
Six exceptional LakeCounty students have been named recipients of four-year, full-tuition scholarships as the Legacy Foundation 2013 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.
Jazzlynn Baines, daughter of Evelyn Baines; Austin Brown, son of James and Diane Brown; Katelyn Goodrich, daughter of David and Jacqueline Goodrich; Haley Johnson, daughter of Shannan Kuesis; Maya Briseno Portillo, daughter of Olga Briseno; and Brianna Scivinsky, daughter of Joseph and Carol Scivinsky, each will receive full tuition to the Indiana college or university of his or her choice and a $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.
“The Lilly Endowment Scholarship has provided me with many wonderful opportunities,” said Brianna Scivinsky of Whiting High School. “This scholarship has given me so much more than a college education. It has given me the opportunity to change numerous lives within my community.”
Scivinsky plans to attend Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, where she will study biology. Her goal is to attend medical school and specialize in hematology.
Haley Johnson of Calumet High School also has dreams of pursuing a career in medicine and giving back to her community. Johnson’s goal is to become a nurse practitioner. She will attend Purdue University Calumet in the fall.
Maya Briseno Portillo of Munster High School said her college dreams have become a reality thanks to her supportive family and the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Briseno Portillo will attend Indiana University and pursue a double major in public policy and international relations. She also plans to minor in Spanish.
“To me, the Lilly Endowment Scholarship means less worry and a better opportunity to be successful in life,” said Jazzlynn Baines of Hammond High School.
In high school, Baines enjoys playing softball and volleyball. She chose to attend Purdue University, where she hopes to study engineering.
Griffith High School student, Austin Brown, also said the award would allow him to earn a degree without the burden of student loan debt after college.
Brown will attend Wabash College. He enjoys playing team sports and said his favorite activities are football, baseball and basketball.
Katelyn Goodrich, who is the 2013 Class Secretary at Gavit High School said, “The Lilly Endowment Scholarship represents community and activism.” In the future, Goodrich hopes to become a political journalist, focusing on fraud and corruption investigations. She will attend Butler University.
All Lake County high schools were invited to submit an applicant for the scholarship. A total of 228 students from 24 high schools applied for the 2013 awards. Those students nominated by their high schools were evaluated based on academic performance, leadership skills, service to others, character, a written narrative, demonstrated financial need and an interview.
Then Legacy Foundation’s scholarship committee interviews the nominees and selects six students as recipients of the awards. Then the names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final approval. ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree-granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state and administers the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program for Indiana’s 92 counties.
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. There were 142 scholarships awarded statewide.
