Kevin King Named 2017 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar

Kevin King, a member of the Huntington North High School Class of 2017, is this year’s recipient of the four-year, full-tuition Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Huntington County.

The scholarship, awarded through the Huntington County Community Foundation, affords King four years of full tuition to Taylor University, as well as an annual $900 stipend for required books and equipment. He is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Applied Physics and Engineering Physics with a minor in History with career plans of working for the advancement of science. He is the son of Denise King of Huntington.

A National Honor Society member and newly-named Eagle Scout, King’s high school career included Class Council, Varsity Singers Brass, Academic Super Bowl, co-founder of HNHS Chess Club, Swim Team, Campus Life, and participant in band, Spring Musical and Variety Shows. Besides participation in various Eagle Scout projects, he also provided community service to the Salvation Army, Love in the Name of Christ, Saint Felix Center and Church of the Nazarene. In addition to his studies and numerous involvements, he can also be found working 25 hours per week at our local Arby’s. King is the 36^th Lilly Endowment Community Scholar representing Huntington County.

“I am incredibly honored to have been chosen. It has been extremely humbling to have been considered alongside so many of my peers and fellow students,” said King. “I cannot possibly fully express my gratitude and appreciation both for the opportunities afforded to me by the Lilly Endowment and HCCF and for the support and encouragement that I have received from my family, my teachers, and leaders within my scouting program.”

A total of 32 Huntington County high-school seniors applied this year. After reviewing their applications, with personal information redacted, and scoring them on a point system the HCCF Scholarship Committee, comprised of five community volunteers, invited twelve candidates to be interviewed. After individually scoring each candidates’ interview performance the committee re-tallied total scores to reveal which three students qualified for a second interview. After the second interviews and again scoring and re-tallying, the scholarship committee submitted the name of their nominee and two alternates to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) for approval of their selection of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipient.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally-accredited, degree-granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in Indiana. Their Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program staff facilitates the entire Lilly Scholarship process, from application to selection approval to paying the tuition bills. The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. There have been over 4,300 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships awarded statewide since the program began in 1998.