Nicole Anderson, a senior at Central High School in Maple Park, Illinois, has won first place in Elmhurst University’s 2025 Niebuhr Service to Society Scholarship competition and a four-year, full tuition scholarship to attend Elmhurst.
For the first round of the annual scholarship competition, admitted students were invited to submit creative videos showcasing how they serve their communities and contribute to positive change in the world.
During the second round, which was held earlier this spring on the Elmhurst University campus, finalists took part in group projects and attended an awards ceremony where the winners were announced.
Anderson was among 111 students who entered this year’s contest. Her video focused on the strong connection she shares with her rescue pony Domino, whom she brings to visit and brighten the days of residents in senior living communities.
Winning the Niebuhr competition will help Anderson begin the journey toward her career goal of becoming a veterinarian.
“Bringing my pony to community events in senior centers has taught me that even small acts of kindness can have a big impact on people’s lives,” Anderson said. “I have been working with horses since I was 8 years old, and they have inspired me to pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian, so I can continue to help animals, people and the communities that they live in.”
Second place went to Monica Venancio, a senior at Oak Forest High School in Crestwood, Ill., who plans to major in information systems. She received a $10,000 renewable scholarship to attend Elmhurst University. In her video, she describes the supportive communities she’s a part of through her passion for running, and how she strives to build up the people who surround her.
“I realized that although you don’t see someone’s struggles firsthand, you can play your part to help others, no matter how big or small,” Venancio said. “I want to continue to break barriers and help other low-income Hispanic families like mine.”
This year’s competition saw increased participation from student athletes and featured a more intimate structure for the group project portion.
The group project prize was awarded to Group 9 for their project Limb4Limb (L4L), which connects individuals with limb loss or birth defects to prosthetic and rehabilitation resources. The team members—Madelyn Hohe (Plainfield, Illinois), Grace Johnson (Beach Park, Illinois), Ryan Katz (St. Charles, Illinois) and Julia Sabinicz (Norridge, Illinois)—each received a renewable $1,500 annual scholarship to attend Elmhurst.
Elmhurst University launched the Niebuhr Service to Society Scholarship Competition in 2019 to recognize and reward prospective Elmhurst students with a significant interest in service, both as an element of their college search and in their wider ambitions. The competition is named for theologians Reinhold and H. Richard Niebuhr, two of Elmhurst University’s most esteemed alumni. Such opportunities demonstrate Elmhurst’s commitment to building a caring community and diverse student body that will enable students to excel in their careers and become inclusive leaders.