LSU Law Interim Dean Lee Ann Wheelis Lockridge at the 2023 Scholarship Reception.
LSU Law honored its many scholarship benefactors and recipients at its annual Scholarship Reception on Tuesday, March 21, and shared exciting news about some existing and newly-created scholarships. The reception was held at The Club at Union Square, and was attended by more than 150 LSU Law students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
“We’re here again to celebrate the culture of philanthropy among our donors,” Interim Dean Lee Ann Lockridge said at the opening of the event. “The money donated to this purpose has value, which means you, the students, have value to our donors.”
LSU Law Professor Joseph Bockrath serves as Scholarship Committee Co-Chair and presented a scholarship report at the reception.
“I have good news to report this year,” he said. “While the need for scholarship assistance continues to outstrip the resources available, our resources are trending in the right direction.”
LSU Law’s endowment has grown by 101% over the past decade to more than $11.7 million. This academic year, 143 students received 236 scholarship awards, which is a 43% increase in the number of students receiving awards and a 74% rise in total awards over the past 10 years. Scholarship awards were made from 179 accounts this year, a 66% increase from a decade ago.
Two types of scholarships are awarded to students at LSU Law. Endowed scholarships are invested into perpetuity and are awarded annually. Non-endowed scholarships are akin to annual gifts and are awarded each year, so long as there is enough money to fund the award.
LSU Law Professor Joseph Bockrath at the 2023 Scholarship Reception.
In fiscal year 2022, five new scholarships were created, including the:
- Gene Fendler Memorial Scholarship (endowed)
- Pugh Accardo Scholarship (non-endowed)
- Theresa M. Gallion Scholarship (non-endowed)
- Arnold & Itkin Trial Lawyers Advocacy Scholarship (non-endowed)
- William Craig Henry Class of 1973 Scholarship (currently non-endowed, but it is anticipated that this scholarship will be endowed in the future)
The Vinson & Elkins law firm also renewed an agreement to continue funding its $10,000 annual award for another 10 years.
Each year, LSU Law submits applications to the Louisiana Board of Regents for endowed scholarship matching funds through the Endowed Superior Graduate Student Scholarship subprogram. LSU Law has consistently scored high on its applications for the subprogram, which is extremely competitive among graduate schools, and in Fiscal Year 2022 it received two matches totaling $80,000 for the Judge France Watts Superior Graduate Scholarship and the Chris and Nancy Rials Endowed Scholarship. Over the past decade, LSU Law has been awarded matching contributions from the Board of Regents totaling nearly $920,000.
The generous support of donors who fund scholarships at LSU Law helps offset the rising expense of receiving a law education. While the Paul M. Hebert Law Center continually controls costs, in-state students face tuition and fees of more than $23,000 per year.
LSU Law students Kris and Nathan Bromley at the 2023 Scholarship Reception.
“I think we are making good progress, but the needs are substantial,” Bockrath said. “Your contributions are greatly appreciated by our students and LSU Law.”
To show their appreciation, three LSU Law scholarship recipients presented at the reception, sharing their unique journeys to law school and explaining how scholarships are helping them reach their greatest potential at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
LSU Law students Kris and Nathan Bromley didn’t embark on a traditional path to law school. The married couple had already established careers outside the legal industry before enrolling at LSU Law, and Nathan admitted to feeling more than a little uncertain prior to starting law school.
“I was very nervous financially and not knowing what I would encounter academically,” said Nathan, a recipient of both the J. Michael Morrow Memorial Scholarship and the Law Class of 1989 Scholarship. Receiving a scholarship was a breath of relief. “I could focus on law school. It also affirmed that someone saw my application or my resume and thought I could do it. It goes a long way.”
Nathan’s scholarship also provided a sense of security for Kris, who is a recipient of both the Richard D. Westbrook Memorial Scholarship and the Mary and Mark Schroeder Annual Scholarship.
“I grew up always wanting to go to law school,” Kris said. “Nathan getting the scholarship made me feel like we could do this. We still have a home because of our scholarships. I personally would not be here if it weren’t for the scholarships.”
LSU Law student Broxton Lance Harvey at the 2023 Scholarship Reception.
Broxton Lance Harvey, an Atlanta native and recipient of the Mary Olive Pierson Endowed Scholarship, said he chose to attend LSU Law because he felt the Paul M. Hebert Law Center community was one in which he would be supported and could thrive. That has proven to be true, he said, adding the scholarship support he’s received as a law student inspires him to support students who will follow in his footsteps at LSU Law.
“Often, we think about investment being monetary. But we can also look at investment as being symbolic,” Broxton said. “I will always look at my scholarship for what it has allowed me to do now and for what I can do for students of the next generation.”
