Hegle Scholarship Educational Fund
Weldon and Nola Hegle were long-time active members of Open Hearts United Methodist Church in Bolivar MO. Natives of Kansas, they moved their family to Bolivar in 1962. As successful entrepreneurs, they bought, expanded, and developed local businesses which served customers in all 50 states and 12 different countries. In 2020, Weldon donated money to Open Hearts United Methodist Church to start a post- secondary educational scholarship in memory of Nola known as the Hegle Scholarship.
The purpose of the scholarship is to provide tuition assistance as a means to aid worthy individuals to attain post-secondary education at an academic degree-granting program in a college or university accredited by a nationally or regionally recognized accrediting agency as defined by the United States Department of Education. The Hegle Scholarship Fund is administered for Open Hearts United Methodist Church of Bolivar by the Missouri United Methodist Foundation. While this scholarship is not automatically renewable, recipients may reapply for consideration each year for up to four consecutive years.
Three scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded for the 2026-2027 school year.
Who qualifies for the Hegle Scholarship?
Applicants for the scholarship must be residents of Polk County and/or graduates of a Polk County high school and have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Preference will be given to students affiliated with a United Methodist church and/or students who have been accepted at a United Methodist college, university, or seminary. There is no age limit, and non-traditional students will be considered. Applicants will be evaluated by the church’s Scholarship Committee based on various criteria including academic merit, character, leadership, and the alignment of the applicant’s course work with approved programs of study.
Applications must be received at the church by March 31, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. and recommendation forms by April 15, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
Criteria & How to Apply: