Students can go to www.martin.edu/enroll to learn more

To help students overcome the financial barriers of transferring and continuing their education at Martin University, Eli Lilly and Company has awarded $140,000 to Martin’s scholarship fund for its Ivy Tech Community Colleges transfer partnership. The funding, which is intended to reduce the overall cost of attending the University, provides up to ten enrolled students with $14,000 toward a bachelor's degree.

The transfer partnership focuses on helping students in their educational goals, increasing minority student success in high wage in-demand careers, and assisting employers in hiring a more diverse and inclusive workforce through the Martin WORKS program. The transfer partnership also allows students to earn an additional 60 credit hours toward their bachelor’s degree. To be eligible, students:

1. Must be in process of enrolling at Martin after Ivy Tech graduation.

2. Have graduated from Ivy Tech with a 3.0 GPA to be considered.

   1. Must apply to Martin University the following semester after graduation.

   2. Complete the enrollment process.

3. To learn more, students should go to www.martin.edu/enroll or call 317-917-3308.

“We are honored and grateful to receive this generous grant from Lilly that will help ease the financial burden for these students as they focus on a more successful career path through an education at Martin,” said President Sean Huddleston. “The grant will also benefit businesses by aiding in the hiring of more experienced and diverse workers - which is a win-win for everyone.”

Lilly already participates in the Martin WORKS program which allows Martin students to be compensated and expand their work experience. Current transfer student Danyale Smith said, “The Lilly Scholarship has helped me with the financial aspect of advancing my education. I appreciate the funding because it is crucial for me to receive my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.”

“Lilly takes very seriously our responsibility to enhance the education-to-workforce pipeline of Black Americans in our city,” said Kelly Copes-Anderson, Lilly’s Associate Vice President and Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. “Having a vibrant and diverse workforce is critical not only for local businesses but also for our city and state to thrive. Lilly’s participation as an employer partner in Martin WORKS, and now through these transfer scholarships, highlight our commitment to making Indianapolis a more equitable city.”

A recent report from Business Equity for Indy, titled “Racial Gaps in the Education-to-Workforce Pipeline and Indiana’s Opportunity to Close Them,” exposes a severe racial education gap, especially for students of color. It states that in Marion County, of the 3,077 Black students who graduated high school in 2012-2013, just 442 graduated from an Indiana public postsecondary institution in six years with either a two- or a four-year degree. The report offers solutions on what nonprofits and businesses in Indianapolis can do to address these education challenges, which unfortunately start early with Black and Hispanic students falling behind in school before third grade.

“It will take time, and collaboration, to help close the education gaps and improve the postsecondary graduation rate outcomes of Black Americans in our state,” said Huddleston. “We appreciate the collaboration between Martin, Ivy Tech, and Lilly, and hope that students apply and take advantage of these scholarships for the Spring semester in 2022.”