The Community Foundation of Crawford County is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Crawford County, Levi Richardson. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are recognized for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.
Richardson is involved in basketball, baseball, cross country, tennis Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Booster Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, Youth Philanthropy Council, Prom Committee, and intramural dodgeball, softball, and volleyball. He has volunteered with Red Cross, East Crawford Elementary School, Lego Drive, Headstart, biddy ball, and Churchill Downs. He is employed by Valley Links Golf Course, Richardson Construction and Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. After high school, Levi plans to attend Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to major in mechanical engineering with a minor in aerospace engineering. Richardson is the son of Kyle and Megan Richardson.
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, required fees, and up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Scholars also join the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects them with resources and opportunities to lead on campus and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI).
When asked what receiving the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship means to him, Levi said “Everything. This scholarship gives me the opportunity to go to Rose Hulman and get a great head start in my career academically. I hope to one day bring more STEM programs back to Crawford County to give other students more opportunities.”
In nominating Crawford County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar(s), the committee considered personal statement of need, special considerations, a personal insight essay, class rank and GPA, a recommendation letter, leadership, and extracurricular activities, including employment and volunteering. After narrowing the field of applicants anonymously by committee review and approval from the Board of Directors, interviews were held by committee members, then nominees were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), the statewide administrator of the program, for final selection.
Susan Mason, Education Co-Chair said, “We had excellent applicants again this year. It was an honor to help oversee and support this thoughtful and thorough process.”
Since its inception in 1997–98, Lilly Endowment has supported this program with tuition grants totaling more than $505 million, benefiting over 5,400 Indiana students. The program’s primary purposes are:
- To raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana.
- To increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations play.
- To encourage and support Lilly Scholars’ engagement with Indiana leaders to improve quality of life statewide.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.:
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in Eli Lilly and Company. The Endowment supports community development, education, and religion, with a special commitment to Indianapolis and Indiana.
About Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI):
Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for Indiana’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year graduation rates and produce 30% of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20% of its undergraduates.
The CFCC was founded in April 1998 by a volunteer Board of Directors that represented a variety of interests from Crawford County. To date, the CFCC has awarded more than $9 million in grants for programs/projects supporting Crawford County children and youth, education, housing, health and human services, the environment, technology advancements, literacy and the arts, and has awarded more than $3 million in scholarships benefiting Crawford County students. The CFCC currently manages more than 80 charitable endowment funds on behalf of families, individuals, corporations and non-profit organizations.