“John and Emma were selected from a pool of outstanding Boone County seniors. We continue to be impressed by the leadership and poise of applicants. Boone County truly is in excellent hands with this next generation.”
In determining Boone County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar nominees, students must be in the top 20% of their graduating class, have provided exceptional levels of service to Boone County and surrounding communities, and intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an Indiana college or university. Meet our 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars:
EMMA HORNBECKER, LEBANON HIGH SCHOOL
Emma Hornbecker is a gifted vocalist, scholar, and athlete. She serves as captain of the girls’ golf team at Lebanon High School and has been the lead in the school musical for three years. She participates in show choir and was selected as a Great American Songbook Ambassador – a highly competitive summer intensive. She serves as president of DECA and helped fundraise to send members to the national convention. She volunteers throughout Boone County with Key Club, Shalom House, and Black Box Theater Company. She plans to pursue a vocal performance and biology degree at Indiana University or Notre Dame. Her career goal is to become an OBGYN and perform in community theater.
JOHN GUNDERMAN, ZIONSVILLE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLJohn Gunderman is an Eagle Scout who has been volunteering since childhood. He spends his time tutoring fellow high school classmates and participating in Student Council and National Honor Society. He was a Track & Field team member before suffering an athletic career-ending injury. He has persevered and has worked at SullivanMunce Cultural Center and as a mechanic assistant at Zionsville Auto Service. He also is involved in multiple activities at Zionsville Christian Church. In addition to completing his own Eagle Scout project, he has assisted with numerous other fellow Scout’s projects. John plans to major in Chemistry and minor in philosophy or religion at Purdue University or Wabash College. His ultimate career goal is to become a physician.
The additional 2024 finalists are:
- Addison Coons, Zionsville Community High School
- Margaret Dimmett, Zionsville Community High School
- Adelaide Jones, Western Boone Jr.-Sr. High School
- Breanna Page, Lebanon High School
- Marissa Roundtree, Zionsville Community High School
- Madison Schmidt, Zionsville Community High School
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-99 school year and has supported the program every year since with grants totaling in excess of $505 million. More than 5,200 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception.
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.
The Community Foundation of Boone County exists to unite people, organizations, and philanthropy to create a thriving community for all. Since 1991, its leaders have worked to empower and engage local communities to make a difference right here in Boone County while also leading a vision to collaboratively address the root causes of challenges facing Boone County in diverse and equitable ways. The Community Foundation continues to invest in the people working to fill local needs. It has granted more than $29 million to nonprofit organizations and programs working to solve critical challenges in Boone County. With over $30 million in net assets, the Community Foundation works with donors to create permanent funds for charitable giving to strengthen Boone County for generations to come.
ABOUT LILLY ENDOWMENT INC.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
ABOUT INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OF INDIANA
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.