RCCF announces 2026 Lilly Scholarship finalists

(BATESVILLE, Ind.) – The Ripley County Community Foundation has announced the five finalists for the Lilly Scholarship. 

The recipient will be announced in December and will receive full tuition and a $900 annual book stipend for four years at any Indiana college or university. 

The remaining four finalists will each receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Ripley County Community Foundation for their freshman year, followed by the Grateful Family Scholarship in their sophomore year, and the Jane Deiwert Scholarship in their junior year. 

Finalists are determined by several factors including academic performance, citizenship, leadership, and personal attitude. 

“The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is an extraordinary opportunity for students in Ripley County, and we are honored to play a role in the selection process,” stated RCCF Grants and Scholarship Manager Brady Westerfeld. “One of the most rewarding parts of managing scholarships is recognizing the hard work students have already put into their education while opening the door to future academic possibilities.”

The finalists are Oldenburg Academy senior Avery Austin, Batesville seniors Viktor Aylor, Grace Gutzwiller, Braydin Hughes and South Ripley senior Gracelyn Wise.