Three incoming freshmen compose the newest class of Lilly Scholars, recipients of Wabash College’s most prestigious scholarship.
Henry Chilcoat of North Little Rock, Arkansas; Alex Schmidt of Highland, Indiana; and Cole Williams of Indianapolis make up the Class of 2027 winners.
Finalists visited campus in February to compete for the Lilly Scholarship, which covers tuition, housing, and food for all four years of a student’s Wabash education. The scholarship program was established in 1974 to honor Eli Lilly and his family, and the award is designed to recognize outstanding young men who show high potential and future promise. Honorees are young men who have the desire to impact the Wabash community and the world at large.
Chilcoat attends Central High School, where he has served as Business Manager of his high school newspaper, competed as a member of the wrestling team, and was selected to attend Arkansas Boys State. He is an Eagle Scout and works in the summer as a Youth Camp Counselor. Additionally, he competes on his high school’s Quiz Bowl team, sings in his church's choir, and has won national awards for his work on his school’s newspaper staff. In his spare time, he reads fiction, exercises, and plays guitar.
Schmidt attends Highland High School, where he is president of the Highland High School Theater Company, is a member of National Honor Society, and was selected to attend Hoosier Boys State. He also established a theater company in Gary, Indiana, and has enjoyed bringing art to the community. This community theater company sold out of tickets for every performance. He also volunteers with St. Jude Children’s Hospital and raised funds to donate to the hospital.
Williams attends Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, where he has served as the 
captain of his football and ice hockey teams, is a member of the National Honor Society, and was selected to the Ignatian Scholar Program, a selective academic honors program. He also has volunteered and raised thousands of dollars for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and was one of three finalists for the organization’s Student of the Year award.
“This year’s Lilly Scholarship application pool was the largest and deepest in my two-plus decades at the College,” said Chip Timmons, Dean for Enrollment Management. “Congratulations to our winners and thank you to the alumni and faculty who served on the committee and were challenged to select three winners from a very strong group of finalists.”
The trio will join the prestigious ranks of past Lilly Scholars when classes begin in August. Recent Lilly Scholarship award winners include:
Class of 2026: Patrick Countryman, Indianapolis; Augustin “Gus” Sanchez, Carmel, Indiana; James Wallace, Missouri City, Texas.
Class of 2025: Avery Dixon of Austin, Texas; Matthew Franz of Johnstown, Ohio; and Tommy Oppman of Niles, Michigan.
Class of 2024: Nathaniel Mertz of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Jesus Monrroy Mazcorro of Alamo, Texas; and Will Trapp of Brownsburg, Indiana.
Class of 2023: Thomas Gastineau, Carmel, Indiana; Andrew Posledni, Batavia, Illinois; and Cooper Smith, Sellersburg, Indiana.
Class of 2022: John Reith, Leo, Indiana; Andrew Rippy, Saint Paul, Minnesota; and Devin Vanyo, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Class of 2021: Daniel Cuevas, Hammond, Indiana; William Osborn, Chandler, Arizona; and Kaleb Wood, Indianapolis.
Class of 2020: Sam Stephenson, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Sam Henthorn, Carmel, Indiana; and Nathan Gray, Indianapolis.
Class of 2019: Matthew Hodges, Carmel, Indiana; David Vavrinak, Hubbard, Ohio; Cole Payne, Culver, Indiana.
Class of 2018 - Jacob Alaniz, Brownsville, Texas; Joe Reilly, Noblesville, Indiana; Sam Surgalski, Traverse City, Michigan.
Class of 2017 - Cole Crouch, Indianapolis; Kyle Stucker, Whiteland, Indiana; Jacob Budler, Parklands, South Africa.