What the Southwestern High School senior did was earn the 2024 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Shelby County. The scholarship provides full tuition, required fees, and an allocation of $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of undergraduate study at an Indiana college or university.
Gosser will apply the scholarship toward obtaining her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Purdue University with the goal of continuing on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
“I actually just came from a vet clinic. I have a job shadow with them. It’s my third day there,” said Gosser. “For a long time I didn’t even consider going to vet school because I didn’t know how I was going to pay for seven or eight years of schooling. Then I became a finalist for the Lilly (scholarship) and thought maybe this changes things.”
Gosser was surprised Tuesday afternoon by the scholarship committee once she returned to the southern Shelby County high school from job shadowing. She lamented being in scrubs for pictures but it seemed prophetic considering the path she wants to take at Purdue.
“I don’t even have words. Things have changed so much for me,” she said holding back tears.
Gosser is the daughter of Bradley and Amanda Gosser. Neither were able to be at the presentation ceremony Tuesday. She called both to inform them the scholarship committee was at the school (photo). Then she added the simple message not lost on her parents – “I did it.”
Gosser was one of five finalists for the prestigious scholarship. Also advancing to the final stage of interviews were Shelbyville High School’s Renee Aldridge, Ella Connolly and Isabella Matney and Southwestern’s Carter Snepp, who was in attendance Tuesday to help surprise Gosser.
Aldridge, Connolly, Matney and Snepp each will receive a four-year renewable scholarship from scholarship funds administered by the Blue River Community Foundation.
Gosser is ranked third in her 2024 graduating class with a grade point average of 4.3 on a 4.0 scale. Her list of extracurricular activities include Future Farmers of America, Student Council, Peer Mentoring, Youth Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions, basketball and band. She is a 9-year member of 4-H and has received several awards showing livestock, specifically steers.
She was crowned the 2022 Shelby Royal champion at the Shelby County Fair (photo).
The scholarship process begins with an online application with the Blue River Community Foundation. Students provide a written essay, two letters of recommendation and a scholastic profile from their school counselor. From there, the foundation’s scholarship committee reviews each application without a name attached and creates a finalist list to move to the personal interview stage.
“I really thought it was going to be a lot scarier than it was,” said Gosser of her interview session. “I don’t know what I was expecting but they were all super nice. … It is daunting because you prepare and try to talk to people who have gone through the interview process before to see what kind of questions they are going to ask and you walk in just hoping you asked the right questions and that you have the right stuff in your brain to give them the answers they are looking for.”
The scholarship committee viewed 45 qualified applications this year.
“Our Scholarship Committee is continually impressed with Shelby County students applying for this prestigious scholarship,” said Julie Alvis, Communications and Scholarships Director for Blue River Community Foundation. Alvis presented the award to Gosser Tuesday. “Not only are they excelling academically, but also in their service to others. Without question, the selection process is never easy considering the high quality of applicants.”
Gosser is the fifth Southwestern student to receive the scholarship since its inception in 1998. Other Spartans honored were Lisa (Schwartze) Romine (2002), Stacy Baute (2008), Lauren (Rush) Ruble (2008) and Emmy Wendling (2018).
Lilly Endowment Inc. created the scholarship program in 1998 and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling in excess of $505 million. More than 5,200 Indiana students across the state have received the scholarship.
Gosser’s family purchased their farm when Ellie was just three years old. Working and showing animals has been a big part of her life.
“I don’t think my dad realized when he put a comb and blower in my hand when I was nine years old so I could start working my first calf that it was going to turn into what its turned into now,” said Gosser. “The barn is my happy place. If I come home in a bad mood, my mom says go to the barn. I go work in the barn and I come back in a better mood.”
Now the life-altering scholarship will insure Gosser gets to spend many more days in her happy place.
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