By Kallie Sulanke—
MUNCIE, IN— The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Delaware County – Elizabeth Bamidele of Delta High School and Clayton Dick of Muncie Central High School. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.
“Finalists for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Delaware County must show great leadership potential, be well-rounded in their involvement, and exhibit community-mindedness,” said Marcy Minton, president and CEO of The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County. “Elizabeth Bamidele and Clayton Dick were selected because of their leadership and service to their school community and the larger community. They will represent Muncie and Delaware County as Lilly Scholars and carry that honor with them for the rest of their lives.”
Elizabeth Bamidele plans to study civil engineering. She is the daughter of Anne and Olukayode Bamidele.
Clayton Dick plans to study mechanical engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He is the son of Jamie and Steven Dick.
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years. The scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Muncie and Delaware County, locally administered by The Community Foundation, awards students who possess leadership potential and are well-rounded and community-minded. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1997-98 school year. Since then, grant funding in excess of $490 million has supported more than 5,300 Indiana students who have received scholarships through the program.
The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.
About the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County
The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County has been serving the local community since 1985, supporting philanthropy, assisting donors in building a permanent source of charitable assets, and investing in initiatives that enhance the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County. With an endowment of over $96 million, the Foundation has distributed nearly $68 million in grants and scholarships to date.
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 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.
