But what happens when one’s #ElksFamily is also their biological family? Just ask the Bogart twins, two recipients of the 2024 Weigel Scholarship.
As Jolie and Maislin Bogart grew up, they were inseparable. They played the same sports, led the same student organizations, and even received the same scholarship—the 2019 Legacy Awards scholarship, for which they were sponsored by Lakewood, Ohio, Lodge No. 1350. Their connection to the Elks began long before they became Elks scholars.
“Our father has been an Elk for years and has brought us to the Lodge many times,” says Jolie. “Being involved with the Elks has been very special and has taught me to give back to the communities that have given me so much.”
The Bogart twins took these lessons to heart. While attending Ohio University and volunteering at their local Lodge, they realized their passion for serving the community. Now, with the aid of the Weigel Medical School Scholarship, they will both explore this passion in medical school. “With the Weigel Medical School Scholarship, I will be able to make use of increased financial flexibility to continue being active in projects aimed at removing the barriers faced by people from lower-income communities,” says Jolie.
Because of her previous research experience and encounters with heart disease, Jolie plans on specializing in cardiology. Maislin is inspired to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology because of her experience as an intern at a shelter for pregnant and parenting people who are confronting homelessness. Both twins will continue their education together at Case Western Reserve University.
As they strive to make their #ElksFamily—and their biological family—proud in medical school and beyond, the Bogart twins will not forget the difference that ENF scholarships have made in their lives.
“I am able to credit my accomplishments and, consequently, my acceptance into medical school to my selection to receive the Elks Legacy Award,” says Maislin. “I will be extremely grateful for this award for the rest of my life and am excited to receive the Weigel Medical School Scholarship.”
Along with Jolie and Maislin, eight other students received Weigel Scholarships in 2024. One of those students is Eric Donohue, a 2018 Top 20 Most Valuable Student scholar, sponsored by Islip, N.Y., Lodge No. 2533.
“I was truly blessed to be welcomed into the vast support network that is the Elks,” says Donohue. “The MVS scholarship paved the highway on my road trip of life, providing a smoother and more accessible path.”
Whether it was on the proverbial road of life or the literal road of asphalt and concrete, Donohue fully embraced his role as an Elks scholar. He traveled across the country to attend the 2018 MVS Leadership Weekend in Chicago, the 150 for 150 Service Trip and celebration in San Antonio in 2018, and the 2023 Winter Scholar Service Trip in Tampa.
“The ‘#ElksFamily’ is such an appropriate designation for what this program cultivates,” says Donohue. “I have met countless ENF relatives who continue to inspire me. I have made lasting friendships and still stay in touch with many of my fellow 2018 MVS scholars and Tampa service trip scholars, even making plans to meet when in the same city!”
Donohue’s interest in medicine was inspired by the altruistic nature of his community when one of his family members dealt with a near-fatal illness. To provide that same aid to others, Donohue volunteered for the Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition.
“Having experienced the difficulty of asking for help during times of isolation, I am grateful for these survivors’ bravery to depend on their community, and I feel fulfilled providing comfort and companionship to those enveloped in the isolation of illness,” says Donohue. “My connections with these women have shaped my vision of patient interaction to one that prioritizes authenticity and human connection.”
While he received his degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia, Donohue researched the effects of plasma treatment on cell viability and began to engineer a treatment for muscle tissue loss. After medical school, Donohue will rely on this research, as well as his previous patient interactions, to provide care in emergency medicine and surgery.
“I will integrate my passions for engineering and medicine as a physician-innovator, employing my ingenuity to advocate for health equity within my community, country, and world,” says Donohue. “Receiving the Weigel Medical School Scholarship will further my drive and enable me to pursue even greater heights.”
Whether they are sisters in the same biological family or scholars in the supportive network of the #ElksFamily, these Weigel Medical School Scholarship recipients seek to change the world, one patient at a time.
After the late Lee Weigel lost her husband, Gunther, to a staph infection in November 2009, she wanted to improve the quality of healthcare in our country. Lee partnered with the Elks National Foundation to endow the Gunther and Lee Weigel Medical School Scholarship, which helps Elks scholars pursue careers in medicine. For more information, visit secure.elks.org/WeigelMSS.