Wayne Milheim Music Scholarship

The Wayne H. Milheim Music Scholarship Fund was established by Wayne H. Milheim to assist selected music students with the payment of tuition charges and living expenses while full-time students at Western.

Wayne Milheim, a long-time friend and philanthropist to the Music Department, established this scholarship for students with a major or minor in Music. He has a long history of giving to Western Colorado University.

He was born in 1918 in Lawrence, Kansas. He grew up on his father’s homestead near Kit Carson, Colorado, graduating Kit Carson High School in 1935.

Wayne graduated Barnes Business School in 1937, was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1945, received his Bachelor of Music in Piano from Chicago Conservatory in 1950, gave private piano and voice lessons until 1965 and earned an MA in music at Western in 1966.

When his father passed away in 1959 he took over the duties of managing the family business in farm supply and transformed it from a small store to a retail sporting goods store where just about anything could be found. He sold this business in the 1980’s to move to Towner, Colorado and own his own farm, which was the realization of a life-long dream.

Wayne’s greatest joy in life was playing classical piano on his Grand Piano. He particularly enjoyed playing compositions by Chopin, his favorite composer. Wayne passed away on October 5, 2011 in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado.

Wayne felt his experiences at Western were among the most positive influences in his life. Milheim states “WCU provides an outstanding education and many of its graduates compound the teaching effect by devoting their lives to elementary and secondary education throughout the state.”

After an episode of declining health, Wayne Milheim passed away on October 5, 2011.

ELIGIBILITY:
Full-time students with a major or minor in Music
Must have a GPA 2.0 or higher
Preference given to incoming freshman who have been accepted, however all may apply
Students must be recommended by one or more members of the Western Music faculty