Dearborn Foundation Opens 3 Scholarships Worth $6K

Students in Dearborn County, Indiana have a fresh opportunity to fund their education dreams, thanks to three scholarships now accepting applications through the Dearborn Community Foundation.

The foundation is offering up to $6,000 in total funding across three programs designed to meet different community needs. Applications close October 1, giving local residents a few weeks to apply.

The largest opportunity is the Clifford & Gladys Ellerbrook Ender Nursing Scholarship, which awards up to $5,000 to students pursuing nursing diplomas like LPN or RN programs. The scholarship addresses a critical need: ensuring Dearborn and neighboring Ohio counties have enough trained nurses to care for their growing populations.

For students choosing to study close to home, the Ivy Tech Community College Scholarship offers up to $500 for two continuing students. The award covers tuition and books and must be used within one year, making higher education more accessible right in their own backyard.

The third scholarship carries special significance for women who thought their educational window had closed. The Lehner Women Empowering Women Scholarship provides up to $500 for non-traditional female students who never had the chance to attend college or had to pause their studies earlier in life.

Why This Inspires

These scholarships do more than write checks. They send a powerful message that it's never too late to learn, that local communities invest in their own people, and that career paths like nursing matter deeply to neighbors helping neighbors.

The foundation has tailored each scholarship to fill specific gaps: keeping future nurses local, supporting affordable community college options, and opening doors that life circumstances may have closed for women seeking second chances.

Interested students can apply online through the Dearborn Community Foundation's website or call (812) 539-4115 for more information about the application process or establishing new scholarship funds.

Three pathways, one deadline, and thousands of dollars waiting to turn educational dreams into reality.