2020 Scholarship Recipients
In line with recommendations from public health professionals as well as local, state, and federal officials, we wanted to do our part to keep our communities safe and healthy and as such, the Brazoria County Bar Association was unable to host a large, in-person Law Day due to COVID-19. In association with the Brazoria County Bar Foundation, Inc., we did hand out scholarships to two recipients, one for the 2020 Law Day Scholarship and one for the Judge Jerri Lee Mills Law Student Scholarship.
Judge Jerri Lee Mills Law Student Scholarship Recipient
The second year recipient of the Judge Jerri Lee Mills Law Student Scholarship was awarded to Grace Nzekwesi. Ms. Nzekwesi graduated in 2017 from Sam Houston State University with a degree in Economics and International Business. She is starting her 1L year this fall at Texas Southern University–Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Ms. Nzekwesi hopes to become an international lawyer concentrating on immigration and human rights and work for the United States Department of Justice. Her main interest is in public interest work and helping disenfranchised communities and individuals. She is excited to use her future law degree to pursue and get closer to her personal and professional goals. Ms. Nzekwesi wishes to acknowledge her parents: Edmund Nzekwesi and Gloria Mbonu. Ms. Nzekwesi was awarded a $2,000 scholarship and entitled her winning essay, “Law School Dreams”.
Law Day College Scholarship Recipient
The recipient of the Law Day 2020 Scholarship was Ms. Shelby Nichols. This year, the essay prompt asked applicants to explain the importance of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which guarantees and protects women’s constitutional right to vote. Additionally, how did the passage of the 19th Amendment 100 years ago encourage our free society in the present? What can we do to ensure the work of the suffragists, who got this Amendment adopted 100 years ago, continues? Ms. Nichols was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Brazoria County Bar Foundation and the Brazoria County Bar Association.
Ms. Nichols is a graduate of Columbia High School and will be attending Texas A&M University in College Station in the fall to study Allied Health. Her professional goal is to become a Physician’s Assistant. Ms. Nichols wishes to acknowledge her parents: Michele & Michael Nichols. Ms. Nichols’ essay is entitled, “Women’s Rights Should Not Stop at Suffrage”.
Congratulations to the recipients this year!