Indiana Foundation Opens 3 Scholarships Worth $6,000

Students and career-changers in Dearborn County, Indiana have a fresh opportunity to fund their education dreams through three scholarships worth up to $6,000 combined. The Dearborn Community Foundation opened applications this week for programs designed to strengthen local healthcare, boost educational access, and empower women returning to school.

The largest award, the Clifford & Gladys Ellerbrook Ender Nursing Scholarship, offers up to $5,000 to residents pursuing nursing diplomas like LPN or RN programs. It was created specifically to meet nursing care needs in Dearborn and Ohio counties, turning local students into tomorrow's healthcare heroes in their own communities.

Two students can each receive up to $500 through the Ivy Tech Community College Scholarship, covering tuition and books for continuing education. The Foundation created this opportunity to encourage residents to improve their skills close to home, removing barriers that might otherwise keep them from advancing their careers.

The Lehner Women Empowering Women Scholarship awards up to $500 to non-traditional female students who never had the chance to attend college or who started but couldn't finish. Named after Foundation founder Lisa DeHart Lehner, who retired from her legal practice in 2018, the scholarship honors her family's commitment to lifting up women of all ages.

The Ripple Effect

These scholarships do more than help individual students pay tuition. When local residents can afford nursing school, their neighbors get better healthcare. When women finally complete degrees they started years ago, their children see that it's never too late to chase a dream. When community college becomes accessible, entire families can break cycles and build new futures.

The Foundation designed each scholarship to solve specific community needs, from nursing shortages to educational gaps. By keeping the focus local, every dollar invested returns to strengthen Dearborn County itself.

Interested students can apply at dearborncf.org before the October 1 deadline at 11:59 p.m. The application process gives the Foundation time to review submissions and award scholarships that recipients can use within one year.

Whether someone dreams of becoming a nurse, needs help finishing a degree, or wants to start their educational journey at a community college, one of these three paths could open the door.