Author: Adam Messner

The Shirley E. Howes Educational Award

The Shirley E. Howes Educational Award is specific to Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County, and honors the effort and scholarship of a woman attending a college or university to earn a certification, baccalaureate, masters or doctoral degree in Accounting, Finance, or Law-related fields. Women from the Northeast Ohio area ages 18 and older of all income levels are eligible to apply. Judging is based on four areas: effort toward education, scholarship, extracurricular activities and financial need.  Neither Soroptimists nor family members of Soroptimists may apply.

When Shirley became a Certified Public Accountant in 1953, she was the first female CPA in Stark County, Ohio.  The personification of a Soroptimist—a woman dedicated to helping make life better for other women—Shirley Edwards Howes has left a wonderful legacy through her leadership of the Canton/Stark County club’s cash awards program.  Shirley chaired the Awards Committee for much of her 26‐year membership with Soroptimist, hosting meetings and using her home‐based CPA and law facilities to distribute the award materials and oversee judging each year.  Memorial donations in Shirley’s name, following her death in March of 2012, came from numerous award recipients, fellow club members, and others touched by this outstanding lady’s community service and her passionate example for “making a difference” in their lives and the lives of others in the Stark County community.

Applicants are judged according to several criteria, with an emphasis on effort toward education, as follows:

• Effort toward education – candidate’s efforts to ensure she obtains an education; use of savings; work while attending school; sacrifices made.
• Scholarship – based on cumulative grade point average.
• Extra-Curricular Activities – community and school activities; level of interest and personal effort required; leadership demonstration.
• Financial Need
• General Impression – thought given to vocational goal; aspirations and attitudes towards education, community, and self; overall impression.

Soroptimist programs are funded by charitable contributions.  To learn more, or to make a donation, visit www.bestforwomencanton.org, or email sicanton.starkcounty@soroptimist.net.

Mail completed applications by January 22, 2014 to:

Shirley E. Howes Educational Award
Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County
PO Box 2336
North Canton, OH 44720

The Brett Murphy Law Firm is offering an annual $2000 scholarship, called The Future Leaders Scholarship 2014, for law students who are working towards a Juris Doctorate Degree and who have an interest in personal injury law.

Visit http://www.washingtoninjury.com/library/future-leaders-scholarship to learn more about this scholarship and its requirements, and to access the scholarship application form. Brett Murphy will be accepting applications until July 15, 2014, and will notify the recipient on or about August 15, 2014

Questions? Contact Ingrid Taylor at itaylor@brettlaw.com.

DRI announces its annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship program open to incoming second and third-year African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American students. Incoming second and third-year female law students are also eligible, regardless of race or ethnicity. Incoming second and third-year law students who also come from backgrounds that would add to the cause of diversity, regardless of race or gender are eligible to apply. Students who are members of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), Law School or Law Student members of AAJ or students otherwise affiliated with or employed by AAJ are not eligible for DRI Law Student Diversity Scholarships. To qualify for this scholarship, candidate must be a full-time student. Evening students also qualify for consideration who have completed one-third or more of the total credit hours required for a degree by the applicant’s law school. The goal of these scholarships is to provide financial assistance to two worthy law students from ABA accredited law schools in order to promote, in a tangible way, the DRI Diversity Statement in Principle. See page three of this application for the DRI Diversity Statement.

Two scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be awarded to applicants who best meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrated academic excellence
• Service to the profession
• Service to the community
• Service to the cause of diversity

Applications must include three recommendations, one each from the following individuals:

1. The Dean or an Associate Dean of the student’s law school
2. A current or past law professor
3. An individual who is personally acquainted with the applicant, but who is not related by blood line or adoption.

Additionally, each applicant must include a cover letter with their application. In that cover letter each applicant should identify his or her academic, personal and/or professional accomplishments and how those accomplishments qualify him or her for DRI’s Law Student Diversity Scholarship award.

For a more detailed description of the scholarship and for the application form, click here.

The Mark T. Banner Scholarship is part of The Richard Linn American Inn of Court’s commitment to fostering the development of intellectual property lawyers of high ethics, civility and professionalism, and especially those from diverse backgrounds.

The recipient of the scholarship receives $5,000 to be applied to their legal education.  This scholarship is available to law students who have entered into a JD program at an ABA-accredited law school in the United States and who will continue in that program through the Fall semester 2014.  Scholarship recipients are selected by the Mark T. Banner Scholarship review board based on the following criteria:

• Commitment to the pursuit of a career in intellectual property law.

• Commitment, qualities and actions toward ethics, civility and professionalism.

• Academic merit (undergraduate, graduate and law school).

• Written and oral communication skills.

• Leadership qualities and community involvement.

• Member of a historically under represented group in IP law (including race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability).

Applications need to be submitted by December 6, 2013.  The application is available at http://www.linninn.org/marktbanner.htm.

Questions? Contact Debbie Ruegger at DEBORAH.RUEGGER@lw.com.