School of Criminal Justice
Scholarships
Scholarships for
Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Majors
William Hegarty Scholarship
William Hegarty embraced higher education throughout his police career. Obtaining a degree while on the Oakland Police Department in California, Hegarty moved to Michigan State University for graduate studies. After completing graduate school, he joined the faculty at Michigan State. He left MSU to become the Director of Public Safety in Jackson, Michigan in 1972. In 1974 Chief Hegarty led the New Rochelle Police Department in New York until he came to Grand Rapids. Hegarty was Chief of the Grand Rapids Police Department from 1982 to 1997 and taught as an adjunct in the School of Criminal Justice at Grand Valley from 1984 until 1997.Chief Hegarty had a special fondness for GVSU and his teaching legacy lives on. He donated funds to establish Hegarty Criminal Justice scholarship when he retired.The William Hegarty Scholarship is awarded on a yearly basis to a Grand Valley State University Criminal Justice graduate student, working in law enforcement.
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Shawn D. Wiersma Criminal Justice Memorial Scholarship
On September 6, 2004, Shawn Wiersma died in a tragic auto crash. Shawn is remembered for his service to the Holland Police Department through the City Attorney's Office, a client of the Cunningham Dalman P.C. law office where he practiced. He developed many friendships within the police department and was highly respected for his ethics and character by clients and colleagues alike. In addition, Shawn is remembered for his service as an instructor in the Grand Valley State University School of Criminal Justice. He was highly respected by students and colleagues for his vast knowledge on a wide range of subjects. He truly enjoyed and loved his teaching experience which was reflected in his close ties with his students. His commitment to education was unmatched. Shawn is remembered for all the good he did and all the people he touched in his shortened life. To memorialize him in perpetuity, an endowed scholarship in Shawn's name has been established at Grand Valley State University, his alma mater. This scholarship will be given annually to an entering senior student in the School of Criminal Justice who plans to enter the police or law professions.
Mullendore Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Scholarship
Kristine Mullendore graduated from the Boston University School of Law in 1977, with a Juris Doctor degree, and held positions with the Michigan Court of Appeals as well as working as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Kent County. Since 1995, she has been an Associate Professor in the School of Criminal Justice/Legal Studies program at GVSU. James M. Mullendore received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1975, and since then has been in private legal practice in Greenville, Michigan. Both James and Kristine are active members of the Michigan Bar. The purpose of the Mullendore Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Scholarship is to recognize and reward students who major in either Legal Studies or Criminal Justice with the intention of entering and contributing to the legal profession, as well as demonstrating financial need. The Mullendores also hope to encourage the students to participate in international educational opportunities.
Justice and Society Endowed Scholarship
The Justice and Society Endowed Scholarship was established by Grand Valley State University (GVSU) School of Criminal Justice faculty to recognize and reward criminal justice majors who have demonstrated academic potential to excel in their criminal justice studies at GVSU. All proceeds from the sales of the faculty-authored Justice and Society textbook were donated to establish this scholarship. The collaborative effort of the Justice and Society authors reflect their dedication to criminal justice majors at Grand Valley. For qualifications and application procedures please refer to the Justice and Society Endowed Scholarship Application Form.
Kendal DenBleyker Endowed Scholarship
Established in loving memory or their son, Kendal DenBleyker, with an anonymous gift on behalf of his parents, Bryan and Lauri DenBleyker, the purpose of this scholarship is to continue Kendal’s memory by assisting nontraditional students pursuing a degree in criminal justice at Grand Valley State University. Kendal was a junior studying criminal justice with a goal to become a probation officer and ultimately to become a lawyer. While studying at Grand Valley, Kendal worked to pay for school and commuted to campus to save money. Family members described him as a “driven and determined Christian man who expected much from those around him, but even more from himself.”
Preference for this scholarship will be given to candidates who are residents of West Michigan (Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties) and are classified as nontraditional students who work and commute to campus. For qualifications and application procedures please refer to the Kendal J. DenBleyker Endowed Scholarship Application Form.
Additional Scholarships for Legal Studies Majors
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Page last modified January 11, 2013
