Unity Foundation Announces 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Finalists

LA PORTE COUNTY, IN — Unity Foundation of La Porte County is pleased to recognize eleven local high
school seniors as La Porte County finalists for the prestigious Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
Two of the finalists will be selected as 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars. They will receive a
full-tuition scholarship to pursue a baccalaureate degree at any accredited public or private Indiana
college or university and an annual $900 book stipend. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship
Program has provided approximately $5 million in tuition and book stipends to 68 La Porte County
students since 1998.

“Each year our review committee remarks on the high quality and extraordinary achievements of the
Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship finalists, and this year was no different,” said Shannon Walker,
Unity Foundation Vice President.

The 2022 scholarship finalists and their respective schools are:

Lillian Burke, La Porte High School
Isaac Chezem, La Porte High School
Jacob Ellis, La Porte High School
Emma Fleshman, La Porte High School
Kyle Gorski, La Crosse High School
Lauren Jaracz, La Lumiere School
Jolie Klimczak, South Central High School
Anna Kubik, La Porte High School
Macy Mrozinski, La Porte High School
Alyssa Shaia, Michigan City High School
Abigail Walker, New Prairie High School

Finalists were selected based on their academic achievement, service to others, extracurricular activities
and, to a lesser extent, financial need. A committee of local volunteers reviewed the applications, not
knowing the applicants’ names until after the finalists were selected. Next, each finalist will be
interviewed, and nominee and alternate names will be submitted to the Independent Colleges of
Indiana, Inc., the statewide administrator of the program, for the final selection – which will be
announced by the end of December 2021.

Maggi Spartz, Unity Foundation President, said, “Recognizing an outstanding group of students each
year is highlight for all of us at Unity. We look forward to their success throughout this academic year
and as they start their college careers, and we hope they will continue to give back to their
communities.”

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are 1) to help raise the
level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana
community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of
current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana
business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana
generally and in local communities throughout the state.

Since 1992, Unity Foundation of La Porte County has served donors, nonprofits and local communities. As
La Porte County’s community foundation, it manages over $42 million in assets, administers more than
325 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $22 million through direct grants and scholarships.
The Council on Foundations has deemed Unity Foundation in compliance with all Indiana and national
ethical and operating standards for community foundations. Unity Foundation’s mission is to strengthen
La Porte County now and forever by building permanent endowments; providing leadership; offering
philanthropic vehicles for everyone; and, being a catalyst for social and economic vitality. For more
information, please visit www.uflc.net or call 219-879-0327.