Two local students awarded with Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships

The Kosciusko County Community Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients: Titiksha Gorhe and Ian Parrott.  

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship that enables recipients from each participating Indiana county to attend an Indiana college or university of their choice. In Kosciusko County, the Community Foundation appoints a committee to lead a blind review process of all local applications.

Titiksha Gorhe

Titiksha Gorhe is a senior at Warsaw Community High School and will graduate in 2026 with academic honors. She plans to major in neuroscience.  

“Learning about the nervous system greatly fascinated me because there is still so much to discover; the sense of mystery and opportunity for ongoing research fueled my interest in becoming a Neurosurgeon. I want to dedicate my life to bringing hope back into people’s lives, allowing them to lead the healthy life they deserve,” she shared.   

Titiksha participated in the HOSA Future Health Professionals, Environmental Club, Hope and Hygiene Foundation, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Hugh O’Brian Leadership Conference, Envirothon, Harvard Pre-Med Summer Academy, KEY Club, Student Organ Donation Advocates, Varsity Diving, Ballet, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy, Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, and the Science Academic Super Bowl.

Ian Parrott

Ian Parrott is a senior at Warsaw Community High School and will graduate in 2026 with academic and technical honors. He plans to major in electrical engineering.    

“Some of my favorite memories are with my 3DS. I always wanted to be able to make something that could bring people the same kind of imaginative experience,” he shared. “The beauty of engineering is that you can make a difference in so many ways, no matter where you go. I plan to explore the countless options at Purdue University.”     

Ian participated in the South Bend Youth Symphony, Business Professionals of America, His Majesty’s Puppeteers, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy, National Honor Society, Club Diving: Indiana International School of Diving, Warsaw Community Church Youth Group, Phi Theta Kappa, Tiger Leadership Council, Inclusivity Council, School Orchestra, and the diving, pole vault, and soccer teams.   

Titiksha and Ian were both celebrated with a surprise award ceremony on December 15 at Warsaw Community High School.  

How Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are selected

Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, fees, and an allocation for books and equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university.

The Kosciusko County selection process for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship begins as Community Foundation scholarship reviewers evaluate each application without access to the students’ names or other identifying information. Qualifying criteria include academic excellence, community service, extracurricular involvement, work experience, references and essay responses.

Once the committee selects the finalists, the Community Foundation submits these applicants to Independent College of Indiana (ICI), the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program for the final selection of recipients.

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.

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 and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana 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.