Lia Haile ’26 honored for work in community service

Lia Haile ’26 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, has been inducted into the Carson Scholars Alumni Hall of Fame. The Carson Scholars Fund awards scholarships based on students’ high levels of academic excellence and community service. Haile is a three-time Carson Scholar.

Haile was cited for her dedication to serving the most vulnerable populations in her community. In 2012, at just 9 years old, she founded a service initiative called Hopeful Hearts Club. It started as a birthday club that provided personalized birthday parties for children living in her community’s homeless shelter. Now, after more than 12 years, the club has never missed a child’s birthday.

The club has expanded and evolved to help hundreds of underserved youths and families in Manitowoc County and also provides free STEM summer school classes, meals, school supplies, public transportation passes, holiday events and more to those in need living at the shelter.

At Ripon, Haile is majoring in history as well as in women’s and gender studies.

More information about Haile and the Carson Scholars Fund Hall of Fame can be found here.