The J.O. McClurkan Scholarship
The J.O. McClurkan Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship for the best of the best, students who exemplify high academic success, leadership and service. Recipients of this award have demonstrated hard work through their high school careers and have touched the lives of others in areas like community service, leadership, extracurricular activities and more. They exhibit the desire to make an impact on their communities and pursue their passions in higher education.
How to Qualify and Apply
To apply for the J. O. McClurkan Scholarship, students must have a 28 or higher on the ACT (1300+ SAT) and a 3.5 or higher GPA (unweighted). ACT Superscores and SAT Score Choices will be accepted for this scholarship. Students must apply to the University and submit the McClurkan scholarship application, their transcript and test scores. Top applicants are then invited to interview at McClurkan Day in the spring.
The deadline to apply for the McClurkan scholarship is Friday, February 21, 2025.
McClurkan Day
The top candidates for Trevecca’s most prestigious scholarship are invited to campus for McClurkan Scholarship Day. As we celebrate the academic achievements of these hard-working, driven students, we also give them the chance to experience the campus and interact with fellow scholars. Students who are invited and attend will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with professors in their intended field of study; tour the campus with current students; and interview with Trevecca’s administrators, staff and faculty. This V.I.P. day is tailor-made for the exceptional students who are the top McClurkan candidates.
Being selected to compete at McClurkan Scholarship Day qualifies a student as a "McClurkan scholar." As the best and brightest, students attaining this status have unique opportunities and receive special recognition at commencement.
McClurkan Scholarship Day for fall 2025 will take place Friday, March 7, 2025. Participation is by invitation only.
History of the Scholarship
The J. O. McClurkan Scholarship is named in honor of Trevecca’s founder and first president, Reverend J.O. McClurkan. McClurkan founded Trevecca as a ministry training school called the Pentecostal Mission to equip men and women to preach the message of holiness and salvation. He served as president from Trevecca’s beginning in 1901 until his death in 1914. In addition to this role, he was a man of compassion and service.
Following his passing, his obituary read, “Probably no minister in Nashville had done more to create for the [poor] a broader and more wholesome vision of life than Dr. McClurkan, who eagerly accepted every opportunity to stoop down and assist his weaker brother or sister.”
In addition to preparing students to follow God’s call, he was responsible for founding the Trevecca Hospital and the Pentecostal Home for Girls. Recipients of the McClurkan scholarship continue in his legacy of leadership and servant-heartedness and embody his spirit, which is best described by the simple phrase “He lived for others.”
2024 McClurkan Scholars
William Blackmon
From the small town of Opelika, Alabama, William Blackmon is the oldest of fourteen siblings, a mission-minded follower of Christ, a hard and willing worker, a worship leader, a musician, an avid reader of ancient literature, an ardent outdoorsman, and a poet. His unique education through homeschooling allowed him the opportunity to serve God on mission worldwide in such places as Lynch, Kentucky; Mozambique, Africa; and Teeside, England where he developed a heart for reaching the nations with the Gospel and serving others with compassion. He is a singer songwriter who performs at popular local venues, leads worship at multiple area churches, and plays the banjo, guitar, bass, and mountain dulcimer. After graduation, he plans to obtain a law degree and to serve adoptive families as an attorney specializing in international adoption law.
Aubree Hester
Aubree Hester, from Grove City, OH is a rising graduate of Grove City Christian School. She is a member of her school's golf and cheerleading teams. She also serves as the Vice President of her class. Aubree deems herself a "huge science nerd." As such, she aspires to earn her doctorate in Biology to become a dermatologist in hopes of defeating skin cancer and helping others on their skin journeys.
Charity Mugge
Charity Mugge, from Rockledge, Florida, is a bright and passionate individual who believes it is important to invest in the Kingdom of God through serving in both local and global communities. She has led in various church related ministries by teaching children in Sunday School, singing on the Worship Team, and discipling younger teenagers. At her high school, Charity participated in National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Varsity Track, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which she co-led her senior year. Though, what shaped her the most are the two summers she spent on mission trips with Teen Missions International, where she grew a desire to see the Gospel preached and accepted around the world. At Trevecca, Charity plans to pursue degrees in both Christian Ministry and Business.
