For this week’s profile, we interviewed Grace Dittoe, a freshman from Carmel, Indiana. Grace went to Cathedral High School and is currently undecided about her major. While applying for colleges, Dittoe gave up her time to also focus on scholarships. After applying for many she got the Eli Lilly Scholarship, which is why she is at DePauw today.
HC: Hi Grace, thanks for meeting with me! Are you ready to start?
GD: Yeah!
HC: So what is the Lilly Scholarship, and what is required to apply?
GD: The Lilly Scholarship is a scholarship provided by the Eli Lilly Company, and it is based on service, academics and financial need. In order to get it, you have to meet those requirements and go to an Indiana high school.
HC: What was the application process?
GD: It started with an application with my school, and I had to write three essays. My school picked two people from my county, and from there we went to the branch of Lilly that is a part of my county. Then, we had to fill out another application, write five more essays and do an interview!
HC: Wow, so many essays! What did you have to write about, and what was your favorite essay?
GD: One essay that we had to write was how a college education will help further our future. At the time I filled it out, I wanted to be a doctor, so I explained how I would not be able to afford medical school after paying for my undergrad education.
HC: Sounds awesome! Now that you are on campus, how has becoming a Lilly scholar affected your time here?
GD: I’ve met a lot of other Lilly Scholars, so that’s been a good way of getting to know more people. Also, it’s helped me take better advantage of my time here, because I hear other people talking about debt and bills, and I just always feel so grateful and thankful to Lilly because I don’t have to worry about that.
HC: Wow, that’s quite the accomplishment! Thank you so much for meeting with me! We wish you the best of luck!