SOUTH WHITLEY – One Whitko High School senior was surprised Friday morning she was a recipient of a four-year scholarship that will allow her to go to an Indiana college much easier to study agribusiness.
Stephanie Overbey, CEO of Kosciusko County Community Foundation, announced Friday morning at Whitko High School that Amy Brown was one of the recipients of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship
The other recipient, Aliah Barkey, from Warsaw Community High School, was announced earlier Friday morning in a separate surprise.
Overbey said the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition scholarship at any eligible public or private nonprofit college or university in Indiana.
The Community Foundation scholarship reviewers evaluate each application without access to the students’ names or other identifying information, so the applications stand on their own merits. In Kosciusko County, that scholarship is based on academic excellence, community service, extracurricular involvement, work experience, references and essay responses, Overbey said.

    Amy Brown, senior at Whitko High School, was surprised as one of the recipients of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships Friday. Pictured (L to R) are Brown and Stephanie Overbey, Kosciusko County Community Foundation CEO. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

Amy is a senior at Whitko High School and plans on majoring in agricultural business with a focus on marketing and communication at Huntington University. She is the daughter of Katie and Neal Brown.
Amy earned an 11.57 GPA on a 12-point scale, along with 27 college credits so far, Overby said.
She has been a member of the tennis team, FFA, National Honor Society, student council, Gospel Choir, 4-H, Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy, Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church and Whitko Students Against Destructive Decisions.
Overby said Amy’s references called her respectful, well spoken, disciplined, focused, professional, encouraged, fair, dedicated, honest, engaging and positive.
Her volunteer experience includes Feed My Starving Children, Indiana State Fair and American Red Cross.
She also has work experience at Kosciusko REMC and Starbucks.
Katie said the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship is an amazing scholarship and “it’s a true blessing for her to receive it.”
Amy applied for the scholarship in September.
Katie said Amy has done so much community service, so she always thought there was a chance of Amy receiving the scholarship. There are so many students who apply that do so amazing things, “you never know.”
Katie said she was very excited about being awarded the scholarship. It will make affording going to Huntington University more of a possibility. She was worried about affording to go to a private college, but the scholarship will help make it easier to afford to live on campus and go to school.
She wanted to go to a Christian college and study agriculture. The only Christian school that had agriculture was Huntington, plus Amy said she really loves the campus.
Amy applied for the scholarship to give it a shot and see what happened. She had to talk to some references and write some essays on why she chose the major she chose and what her passions are. She also had to provide her community service.
Amy said she decided on her agribusiness with a focus on marketing major because she’s passionate about the agricultural industry. She also likes helping people and working for others. She also said agribusiness will be helpful for an agricultural job she wants to possibly do in the future.