5 LaGrange County Seniors Compete for Full-Ride Scholarship

Five LaGrange County high school seniors just cleared a major hurdle on the path to free college tuition. They've been named finalists for the 2027 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, which covers full tuition and provides $900 yearly for books at any Indiana college or university for four years.

The finalists are Reggie Sunderland from Lakeland Junior-Senior High School, Landry Byler from Prairie Heights High School, and three students from Westview Junior-Senior High School: Gloria Miller, Lucas Mullet, and Carver Stump. They beat out their peers through stellar academic records, leadership roles, and community service.

The selection process is rigorous. Reviewers examined everything from grades and extracurricular activities to personal essays and recommendation letters. The finalists recently attended a workshop at the LaGrange County Community Foundation, where they wrote impromptu essays that count toward their final scores.

Later this month, each student will return for Interview Day to deliver a digital presentation and answer questions from the Lilly Scholarship Advisory Committee. The committee will combine those scores with their application evaluations to recommend one winner and two alternates to Independent Colleges of Indiana, which makes the final decision in December.

The five finalists have diverse ambitions. Reggie plans to study health sciences on a pre-med track, while Landry wants to pursue graphic design with a marketing focus. Gloria aims to become an elementary school teacher, Lucas hopes to study theology and mathematics education, and Carver plans to dive into computer science and software design.

The Ripple Effect

Here's the beautiful part: nobody walks away empty-handed. The four finalists who don't receive the Lilly Scholarship will each get the Lambright Leadership Scholarship, created in 2013 by Kevin and Carrie Lambright. That's $4,000 spread over four years to help with college costs.

"Each student is unique and outstanding," said Beth Retterbush, Scholarship & LIFE program manager at the foundation. "They are dedicated to their studies and highly involved in their schools and communities."

Since 1997, the Lilly Endowment has invested more than $505 million in tuition grants, helping over 5,400 Indiana students reach higher education. This year marks the program's 30th anniversary, with 147 scholarships awarded statewide based on county population. LaGrange County gets to nominate one student for the award.

Five talented students, all winners in their own right, all headed toward bright futures.