Two LaPorte County students — LeeAnn Sager and Mariah Micallef — will receive full-tuition, four-year scholarships as Unity Foundation of LaPorte County Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.
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Mariah Micallef
The two students will receive full tuition to the Indiana college of their choice as well as an annual $900 stipend for required books and equipment. They are among 10 LaPorte County students who were named finalists for the coveted scholarships.
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LeeAnn Sager
LeeAnn, the daughter of Kent and Michelle Sager, has a 4.0 GPA at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities. She spent her freshman and sophomore years at LaPorte High School. She plans to study pharmaceutical research. Her activities include Spanish Club, Academic Super Bowl competitions for history and math, and Leadership LaPorte County. As an independent study, she is conducting interviews and gathering materials to document the history of the Indiana Academy. She plays clarinet and saxophone and has participated in jazz and marching bands. LeeAnn is a tutor at the academy and also serves as a student ambassador mentor. She tutored 4th graders while at LPHS and has volunteered at IU Health LaPorte Hospital throughout high school, including at the front desk and pharmacy.
Mariah, the daughter of Cheryl Braun, is a LaPorte High School student. She has a 3.9 GPA and plans to study psychology at Purdue University. She is editor of the HS creative writing magazine and a writer/editor for the yearbook. She has participated in academic teams for Decathlon, Quiz Bowl and Spell Bowl (honored as MVP). She’s a member of the student council and Girls Reserve, which focuses on providing volunteer support through many community service projects. She has tutored at-risk youth at an elementary school and is a member of the pom and dance squad, helping coach at its mini clinic. She has attended Purdue Gifted Academic Camps for many years, focusing on various subjects. Mariah was one of 30 girls chosen for a special engineering camp at Purdue sponsored by John Deere.
Kim Siefker, 2014 chair of the Unity Foundation Lilly Endowment Scholarship Committee, said, “The applications submitted this year were once again truly outstanding. The committee had an extremely difficult task in choosing from so many deserving applicants. The students from LaPorte County were inspiring in their academic achievements, leadership abilities and dedication to their communities.”
The Unity Foundation received 60 scholarship applications from students throughout LaPorte County. Applicants were judged on their academic achievement, service to others, extracurricular activities and, to a lesser extent, financial need. A committee comprised of LaPorte County residents reviewed the applications, not knowing the applicants’ names until after the finalists were selected. Ten finalists were then interviewed, with two becoming the nominees and four the alternates for the awards. Their names were submitted to the Independent Colleges of Indiana Inc. for the final selection.
Independent Colleges of Indiana is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.
The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education, as Indiana currently ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree. There were 143 scholarships awarded statewide this year.
Since 1992, the Unity Foundation of LaPorte County has served donors, nonprofits and local communities. As LaPorte County’s community foundation, it manages approximately $25 million in assets, administers more than 270 charitable funds, and has distributed nearly $11 million in LaPorte County through direct grants and scholarships. Unity Foundation’s mission is to strengthen LaPorte 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.
To view information on all LaPorte County Lilly finalists this year, click on the following WNLP link: