Founded by Barbara O. Clary and Ms. Heiberg’s friends in honor of her 80th birthday for students studying the arts.

For her 80th birthday in 1999, friends of Elaine Heiberg gathered at Frederick’s Weinberg Center for the Arts to honor her lifelong dedication to the arts and to establish the scholarship that bears her name. A passionate advocate for creativity and community, Elaine advised the scholarship’s co-founder, Barbara Clary, and a small committee on shaping its broad purpose to support students pursuing artistic studies. Her leadership on the Frederick Arts Council board helped guide the Weinberg Center through pivotal changes that stabilized its operations and laid the groundwork for the thriving venue it is today, and she also played a key role in the creation of the Delaplaine Arts Center. Born in 1919 into a music-loving family in Minnesota, Elaine built a life rich in artistry and service—earning a degree in Clothing and Textiles from the University of Minnesota, designing costumes for small theaters, serving her country during and after World War II, and later working as a personnel officer at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. Upon retiring to Frederick, she immersed herself in community life, leading the Historical Society of Frederick County (now Heritage Frederick), serving on the boards of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Frederick and the Peace Resource Center, and nurturing her love of gardening and hospitality. When she passed away in 2007, Elaine bequeathed a significant portion of her estate to her scholarship fund, ensuring that her legacy of creativity, generosity, and community enrichment would continue to make more possible for generations to come.