Ripley County, In. — The Ripley County Community Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce that Toria Tucker has been named Ripley County’s 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. Toria will receive full tuition to the Indiana College or University of her choice and a $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.
Toria is the daughter of Trace and Denise Tucker of Versailles and is a senior at South Ripley High School. Toria is a class officer, a Senior Mentor, is the Feature and Social Media Editor of the school newspaper, and a four year member of the varsity volleyball and basketball teams. She was the County Vice Chairman at Hoosier Girls State, is a Board Member of Champions Together, and is a Special Olympics Summer Games volunteer.
“I’ve known the Tucker family for a number of years and witnessed Toria progress from elementary school through Junior High and now as a senior. She is a very special young lady who displays the intangibles in life that make a person successful. She is a soft spoken leader in our building, someone who displays compassion, dedication, and zeal in every opportunity that she pursues. I have no doubt she is a student who will represent the Lilly Foundation with honor throughout her college years. All of the South Ripley family is very proud of Toria and very happy for her family and we wish her the best in her future endeavors” stated Rod Hite, South Ripley Principal.
Toria stated, “Thank you so much for selecting me as the recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Ripley County. Being able to go to college without the burden of large student loan debt is a dream come true! I am extremely grateful to my school and family who prepared me since preschool, and especially during the selection process. This scholarship has already opened many doors to my future; I promise to use this generous gift to the best of my abilities in order to make a difference in the world. Thank you again for this tremendous opportunity!”
The four finalists are Olivia Allen of Sunman, a senior at East Central and the daughter of Stephen and Debra Allen; Jordan Healy of Milan, a senior at Milan High School and daughter of Richard and Gayle Healy; Quinten Hylton-Gowdy of Batesville, a senior at Batesville High School and son of Jamie and Janet Hon; and Madeline Pierson of Batesville, a senior at Batesville High School and daughter of Ben and Molly Pierson. Each of these finalists will receive a $2,000 Ripley County Community Foundation Scholarship in their freshman year and will receive a Grateful Family Scholarship in their sophomore year.
The Ripley County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee is composed of individuals representing all areas of Ripley County. The selection process is rigorous and designed to avoid bias for person or school. The Ripley County Community Foundation strives to select a well-rounded student who represents all the best of what it means to be a Hoosier and a Ripley County resident, and forwards the names of finalists to Independent Colleges of Indiana for final selection of the scholarship recipient. The Board of Directors is proud of Toria and the finalists and is excited to follow them through college and into adulthood.
