Sierra CiaramellaMilitary veterans of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University have access to initiatives that support their academic endeavors, including a new veteran scholarship program.
The veteran scholarship program features four full-ride scholarships awarded to two veterans of the Marine Corp and two veterans of Special Forces.
Marine Corp veteran scholarships:
Richard Romley Scholarship
R.J. Mitchell Scholarship
Special Forces veteran scholarships:
Judge Michael D. Hawkins Scholarship
Justice John R. Lopez IV Scholarship
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Assistant Director of Financial Aid Eric Border explained that Deborah Carstens, the wife of late lawyer and Marine Corps veteran Bill Carstens, started the veteran scholarship program in honor of her husband.
“At one of our last scholarship luncheons, she noticed that- we have videos during our scholarship luncheon- and one of them was a veteran talking about how he appreciated the scholarship he received and that’s what inspired her to set up the scholarship,” Border said.
By the time veterans reach law school, many have exhausted their GI Bill benefits.
Border explained, “in an effort to reduce their potential debt load they’ll take on by attending law school, Miss Deborah Carstens set this up to continue to assist them.”
Financially assisting veterans throughout law school can alleviate stress and provide a variety of opportunities after graduation.
Border said the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law is focused on “giving back to those who gave so much for our country, anything that we can do to help them in any way we can.”
He went on to explain the scholarship, “takes off the burden of having to take out loans. Once they graduate and they have their J.D., they pretty much can do whatever they please. They don’t have to feel obligated to take a job just because money or the salary associated with it. They can actually go out there and take a job that they truly are passionate about.”
The scholarship recipients were “ecstatic, elated” and “extremely appreciative,” according to Border.
In addition to the scholarship program, the law school features Law Students for Veterans Affairs. It is an organization that allows students to “meet up and go over what’s going on, make sure everybody’s doing OK and advice they have about law school in general.”It is intended to promote interest and engage practitioners of veterans law and military law.
The school is also beginning to implement graduate programs for active duty military and veterans.
The Veterans Sports Law & Business is an online Master of Legal Studies degree “designed to leverage the person’s military background and prepare them for careers in the sports industry,” according to the school’s website.
Noemi Santaella
Joseph Kavetsky
Guest Contributor
What a great idea. Think of all the veterans that would like to go to graduate school but would never be able to afford it. Once again, ASU leading the way!