Tell City Student Wins Major Scholarship, Perry County Celebrates

The Perry County Community Foundation announced on December 18, 2025 that Tell City High School senior Aniksha Kashyab has been named the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar for Perry County. The scholarship covers full tuition and required fees, and provides up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Scholars also join the Lilly Scholars Network for leadership development and campus resources.

The award means immediate financial relief for Kashyab and her family, removing a major obstacle to college enrollment. For Perry County, the scholarship represents an investment in local young people that can have ripple effects across the community. Greater access to higher education is linked with higher lifetime earnings, improved access to employer based health care, and better health outcomes over the long term. Those connections matter in a rural county where economic stress and limited local health resources can shape life trajectories.

The foundation positioned the announcement within its broader work supporting students and community organizations. The Perry County Community Foundation has ongoing scholarship and grant programming that supports local nonprofits, schools and community initiatives. That local stewardship of philanthropic dollars helps smaller organizations sustain services, from educational supports to programs that address social determinants of health such as housing stability and food access.

Beyond the immediate benefit to an individual student, the scholarship highlights structural issues around college affordability and equity. Full tuition awards like the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship reduce the need for students to take on large loans, work excessive hours during college, or forgo higher education altogether. For communities seeking to build a healthier, more resilient workforce, reducing those barriers is part of larger conversations about economic development and public health.

As Kashyab prepares for college, Perry County gains a visible example of how targeted scholarships can change lives and strengthen local institutions. The foundation said the award aligns with its mission to foster opportunity and support community vitality through targeted grants and scholarships. For families weighing the cost of college, and for local leaders planning future workforce and health strategies, the announcement offers a concrete example of how philanthropy can expand opportunity and promote equity.