2026-2027 Scholarship Applications
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH LEXINGTON
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM POLICY
GENERAL STATEMENT:
It is the intent of the Scholarship Program of First United Methodist Church Lexington to fund annual scholarships for active members, as they are determined to be eligible pursuant to this agreement, from the scholarship funds held in the First United Methodist Endowment Fund. The amount of funds available each year shall be determined by the Endowment Committee and will vary depending upon investment income received and available for distribution in addition to other monies which might be available for scholarship grants. The Scholarship Committee, as nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the Charge Conference, shall be responsible for soliciting and receiving applications, reviewing applications and interviewing applicants if desired, and determining the recipients of the scholarship grants. Scholarship grants each year shall be in equal amounts per student in eligibility categories A, B, C, and D. Lesser grants, based on funds available and at the discretion of the Trustees and Scholarship Committee shall be granted for category E with all amounts in category E being equal. All grants shall be made without regard to accredited school attended or financial need or scholastic excellence or area of study, except in the case of extraordinary circumstance where the Scholarship Committee shall have discretion to deviate from equal grants.
ELIGIBILITY:
Those students eligible for scholarship grants are as follows:
- Active church members
- Child of an active church member
- Grandchild of an active church member residing in the home with the church member grandparent
- Non-member of a church who is currently an active participant in the youth program and has been active for at least one year prior to the initial application and has been recommended by the youth director or a youth counselor
- Grandchild of an active church member not residing in the home with the church member grandparent is eligible to apply for a partial scholarship grant based on availability of funds
Note: an Active church member is defined as a person who is currently listed as a Professing Member of First United Methodist Church in Lexington, NC in the church’s membership book and who actively participates in the ministries of the church.
GRADUATE SCHOOL:
Scholarships are only to be awarded for undergraduate studies and not for graduate studies, except scholarships for graduate studies will be granted in the discretion of the Scholarship Committee for students in Christian Education or Seminary.
ACCREDITATION:
The college chosen by the scholarship recipient shall be accredited by one or more of the following agencies:
U.S. Department of Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Council for Independent Schools and Colleges.
RENEWALS:
Students receiving scholarships shall not be guaranteed renewal of scholarships. Students must re-apply for a new scholarship each year for up to a total of four years. Amounts of scholarship grants are not guaranteed to remain the same from year to year but will be determined by the amount of total funds available and the total number of eligible students applying. A student reapplying for a scholarship must be eligible to return to his/her school under that school’s particular requirements for the next school year.
ISSUANCE OF SCHOLARSHIPS FUNDS:
Scholarship funds will be issued directly to the college or university on a per semester basis. One half of the awarded scholarship will be issued at the beginning of the fall semester and the remaining one half at the beginning of the spring semester. It is the responsibility of the student to submit college/university fall semester and spring semester bills to the church financial secretary in a timely manner. If for any reason, the student does not submit a bill within two months of the beginning of the semester, the Scholarship for that semester will be deemed as forfeited. Scholarship funds cannot be carried over to the next semester.
In order to be good stewards of our church’s resources, it is requested that any overages on the student account resulting from this Scholarship be returned to the church.
FINAL AND COMPLETE DISCRETION:
The Scholarship Committee shall have full and final discretion and authority to determine who shall receive scholarship grants and the amounts of such grants. Compliance with eligibility requirements does not guarantee designation as a scholarship recipient. In the event of a dispute over the actions of the Scholarship Committee, an appeal shall be heard and determined by the Administrative Board.
FORMS:
The Scholarship Committee shall issue application and renewal forms to be completed by scholarship applicants.
COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS:
In recognition of the purpose of the Endowment to reach out beyond our church and into our community, the Scholarship Committee may award, in its discretion, a community scholarship to Lexington Education Foundation and/or Davidson County Education Foundation.
Revised: May 2022 by the Scholarship Committee
Revised: January 2023 by the Endowment Committee and Board of Trustees
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