Indianapolis, Indiana – Nineteen-year-old Avrie Landaw still remembers the restless weeks after high school graduation, when she found herself standing at a crossroads that many new graduates know all too well. Some of her classmates were preparing to head straight into large universities, while others were taking time off to figure out their next steps. For Landaw, a lifelong Whitestown resident who grew up surrounded by fields, family, and a deep love for science, the decision felt heavier than she expected.
She had always imagined becoming a scientist—an ambition she says took root so early in childhood that she can’t even pinpoint when the spark first lit. “I’ve wanted to be a scientist for who knows how long. I can’t even remember when it started,” she said, her face brightening with the memory. For a while, she leaned toward enrolling in a nearby four-year college, convinced that was the standard route into the field she wanted.
But everything changed once she toured Ivy Tech and learned about the Lilly Scholars partnership. Inside the biotechnology labs, surrounded by real equipment and hands-on learning spaces, Landaw found a sense of direction she hadn’t felt before. “I visited campus and saw the labs, and it just felt like the right fit,” she said. “I knew this was where I needed to be.”
The Lilly Scholars at Ivy Tech program, funded through a collaboration between Ivy Tech and Eli Lilly, offers full coverage of tuition, fees, and books for students entering high-demand fields like biotechnology, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and industrial technology. In short, it provides a direct, affordable path into careers that are rapidly growing—and in Indiana, many of those opportunities are emerging right in Landaw’s backyard.
When the acceptance email arrived, she had to read it more than once before it sank in. “When I got the email that I was accepted, I cried. I was in shock,” she said. “I was really grateful and appreciative that they chose me.” The scholarship didn’t just ease the financial burden of college; it confirmed that she was on the right path and that her childhood dream wasn’t out of reach.
Her choice became even more meaningful as Eli Lilly announced a $13.5 billion investment in three new facilities being built just minutes from her hometown. For a young scientist-in-training, the timing felt almost unbelievable. “Knowing this huge biotech hub is going to be right down the road is surreal,” she said. “It makes me even more excited to start my career.”
Landaw hopes her story resonates with other rural students who wonder whether higher education or a future in science is really possible for them. Growing up in Boone County, she says, gave her a close-knit community and a strong work ethic, but also a sense that big opportunities sometimes sit out of reach for small-town kids. She wants to help rewrite that narrative.
“If you have a dream, go for it. Don’t let being from a small town hold you back,” she said. “Ivy Tech gave me a chance to chase mine.”
This fall, Landaw will begin classes at Ivy Tech Indianapolis, where her schedule will be packed with hands-on labs, science coursework, and preparation for the biotech field she plans to enter immediately after finishing her degree. If all goes according to plan, she’ll complete her associate degree in biotechnology within two years and transition straight into full-time work.
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Though she’s just beginning her journey, she already carries immense gratitude for the people and institutions behind the scholarship that opened the door. Reflecting on everything that led her to this moment, she shared a message for the teams at Ivy Tech and Eli Lilly whose support shaped her next steps.
“Thank you for making a little girl’s dream of being a scientist possible.”
For more information on the Lilly Scholars at Ivy Tech program, visit ivytech.edu/lillyscholars.
And for Landaw, whose own words echo boldly through the halls she’s soon to study in, one line captures the heart of her decision and her future:
“I VISITED CAMPUS AND SAW THE LABS, AND IT JUST FELT LIKE THE RIGHT FIT. I KNEW THIS WAS WHERE I NEEDED TO BE.”
