12 students competed in the annual Pitch Your Passion competition
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy hosted its annual Pitch Your Passion competition in February, awarding more than $94,608 in scholarships to 12 students.
Two top winners earned the Thomasson Scholarship, which covers up to four years of tuition and fees, room and board, books, and a semester abroad. The remaining participants each received partial scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $6,500 towards their first year majoring in philanthropic leadership.
The competition challenged prospective students to identify current economic, social, or cultural issues and collaborate to develop actionable solutions. Students were placed in six groups and spent the day developing presentations that included problem descriptions, supporting data, reasons for addressing the issue, and proposed solutions. At the end of the day, each group delivered a five-minute presentation in front of an audience.
The competition encourages prospective students interested in philanthropic leadership to think about how to make their passion their profession. “Pitch Your Passion offers high school and college students the chance to connect with peers who share their commitment to making a positive impact,” said Pamela Clark, assistant dean for enrollment management and student success. “Winning a full-ride scholarship or even a partial scholarship to the only school of philanthropy in the country can be a life-changing experience. This isn’t just a school, it is a community of people who can and will make the world better."
Two Thomasson Scholarships were awarded to Mahitha Ratakonda and Ximena Alaniz. They assigned topic was health. “Health literacy is an issue that we face in our country today, especially in marginalized communities,” said Alaniz. “We talked about how important it is for these communities to have access to health literacy in order to understand diagnosis for different things that are going on in their health and in their family’s health.”
In addition to the group presentations, students were evaluated on their grades, extracurricular activities and interests, academic and career goals, and on an individual interview with a committee of the school’s faculty and staff.
This annual competition is open to current IUI undergraduate students (with fewer than 60 credits) who plan to major in Philanthropic Leadership, transfer students, and high school seniors who have been admitted to IUI.
“Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity it's genuinely life-changing and I hope that I can help contribute to a positive change in society because of this,” said Ratakonda.
“Thank you to the Thomasson scholarship and the Thomasson family. I’ll be able to serve different kinds of communities in Indiana,” said Alaniz.
Pitch Your Passion 2026 Scholarship Awardees
Mahitha Ratakonda - $26,554
Ximena Alaniz - $26,554
Myleigh Bush - $6,500
Clinton Bell - $5,500
Mehakpreet Sidhu - $5,500
Yaquelin Orellana Moran - $5,500
Marlene Senobio-Bernabe - $5,500
Tina Oyatobo - $5,500
Mallory Goebel - $4,500
Fentaye Moody - $1,000
Mabel Nestere - $1,000
Elizabeth Peraza-Argueta - $1,000
About the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is dedicated to improving philanthropy and the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its undergraduate, graduate, Ph.D., PhilD, certificate and professional development programs, its research and international programs, and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy, Women’s Philanthropy Institute, and the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.
