51����

“I am extremely excited and very honored about this,” beams Maddie Dilliard, this year’s recipient of 51����’s Trailblazer Award- a four-year, full tuition scholarship. “I am shocked!”

Maddie, a senior at Salisbury High School, received the life-changing news on Thursday, March 19 during a surprise reveal on her school’s campus. President Elizabeth M. Meade, Cedar Crest admissions counselors, and Franki the Falcon were all there to celebrate Maddie and present her with flowers, balloons, and the trailblazing scholarship that will shape her future.

“I believe this opportunity will allow me to further my education even more,” she says, discussing her plans to major in forensic science and minor in criminal justice while at Cedar Crest. “Since Cedar Crest recently opened the Expert Witness Training Center, I’m really excited because it allows me to do both at the same place.”  

Beyond her academic strengths, Maddie has a strong sense of leadership and commitment to her community. In her spare time, she is president of the Key Club, a member of the Suicide Prevention Awareness Club, tutors three days a week, and is in her eleventh year of Girl Scouts, currently working towards earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

“Maddie Dilliard exemplifies what it means to be a Trailblazer—academically accomplished, deeply engaged, and driven to make a difference. We are proud to recognize her with four years of tuition through this scholarship,” says President Meade.

With her passion for learning and dedication to service, Maddie is just getting started. As she prepares to begin her journey at 51����, she embodies the spirit of the Trailblazer Award—ready to lead with purpose, make a meaningful impact, and shape the future.

By Catherine Stroh