SCHOLARSHIPS
Investing Early in a Student’s Future
Each year, the Community Foundation of Elkhart County selects one outstanding eighth-grade student to receive a four-year scholarship, awarded upon their high school graduation, to support the cost of higher education.
John G. Blakesley was born in Goshen, Indiana, on February 26, 1931, and was raised in Syracuse, Indiana. He attended New Paris High School as a freshman, where he won math awards. After moving to Fort Wayne with his family, he graduated from Fort Wayne Central High School in 1949, where he again won numerous awards in mathematics. John graduated from Yale University in 1954, majoring in economics and political science. He died in 2011.
Cheryl Weaver, John’s niece, who served as executor of his estate: “My uncle John valued education, and he worked hard to pay his way through college. The education he received helped pave the way for him to enjoy the many things he was lucky to do in life. He wanted to make sure others had the same opportunity. Because of this, he asked me, his niece, to create two scholarship funds for youth in Elkhart County. It is a great honor to be personally involved in my Uncle John’s legacy.”
What the Scholarship Covers
The recipient will receive $1,750 per year for four years—a total of $7,000—to help cover tuition at an accredited college, university, or vocational program. The award is disbursed after high school graduation, as long as the student continues to meet eligibility criteria.
How to Be Considered
- Students must be current eighth graders enrolled in an Elkhart County public or private school
- Each eligible school may nominate one student based on the scholarship’s selection criteria
- Counselors submit a nomination through the scholarship portal, and a letter of recommendation from a counselor or teacher is required for each nominee.
The selection process focuses on character, leadership, and a commitment to learning—qualities John Blakesley valued and hoped to nurture in future generations.
School counselors guide the nomination process each spring and notify selected students and families directly.
