Earlham College sophomore Aliya Mills selected for Realizing the Dream Scholarship 

Earlham College sophomore Aliya Mills has been named the College’s 2026 recipient of the Realizing the Dream Scholarship, awarded by the Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI). 

Mills, who is pursuing a major in biology and minor in public health and medical humanities at Earlham, is one of 28 students from Indiana’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities to receive the $5,000 award. The scholarship program, made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., recognizes first-generation college students who demonstrate outstanding achievement while earning their degree. 

“Being at Earlham and going to college has made me understand my passion for giving back to my community and allowing people to better understand their health, especially for those who don’t have access to proper healthcare or proper knowledge about healthcare,” Mills said in a video produced by the Independent Colleges of Indiana. 

In addition to the students’ scholarship awards, ICI recognized influential educators with $1,000 in professional development grants to celebrate the teachers and mentors whose guidance, encouragement and belief in their students help make college access and completion possible for first-generation scholars. 

Mills chose Kraig Rose, a teacher at Dennis Middle School, who credits Rose with helping her navigate the college application and financial aid process during a stressful time.

First-generation students at Earlham are automatically enrolled in the LIFT program. This program matches small groups of students with a personal research librarian during 10 weeks of the fall semester. By meeting for 75 minutes for one session per week with their librarian, LIFT students undertake a one-credit tutorial in information literacy. LIFT students also travel off campus for a fully funded excursion in a location across the U.S. or abroad. Past excursions have been to Hawaii and Japan, among other locations.

“Thanks to the continued support of Lilly Endowment, we get the opportunity to hear the inspiring stories of these first-generation students and the impact local educators have had on their drive to succeed academically,” said Dottie L. King, ICI’s president & CEO. “These scholarship awards will provide critical support for these young people who are dreaming of future success.”   

The scholarship recipients were recognized during a celebration on February 28 at the Eiteljorg Museum. 

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.

About Independent Colleges of Indiana

Independent Colleges of Indiana serves as the collective voice for the state’s 28 private, non-profit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.