June 15, 2016

Twelve Southwestern Students Awarded Scholarships by the Mexican American Bar Foundation

The Mexican American Bar Foundation (MABF) awarded scholarships to 12 Southwestern students at its 25th Anniversary Scholarship and Awards Gala on June 11.

Of the 25 scholarships awarded, Southwestern students made up the largest contingent of honorees, earning a total of $90,000 in scholarship money. They included Zurit Barajas, Erik Ceja, Nathalie Meza Contreras, Rosio Flores, Raul Ibarra, Veronica Martinez, Jackee Montano, Lourdes Pena, Chantel Renta, Melissa Romo, Atley Usher Jr. and Lauren Gafa Williams. Recipients were selected based on academic achievement, community service, financial need, leadership and hardships overcome.

“In my 18 years of service to MABF, some 150 Southwestern students have won scholarships totaling over $500,000, and two of those students — Southwestern alumni Patricia Higuera ’05 and Rick Rodriguez ’13 — now serve as trustees of the Foundation,” said Professor Christopher David Ruiz Cameron, Gala Director (pictured above with Southwestern honorees). “I was quite proud that once again no local law school won more scholarships this year than Southwestern.”

The Mexican American Bar Foundation is a tax-exempt section 501(c)(3) charitable corporation dedicated to providing financial assistance to men and women of Latino heritage who intend to pursue careers in the law. Working without paid staff or significant overhead, MABF has awarded more than $2 million in the form of 379 scholarships to 317 individual law students since its inception. The Foundation is dedicated to assisting students attending ABA-approved law schools in Los Angeles County. Most of the scholarship recipients are the daughters and sons of low-income immigrants. They have overcome tremendous obstacles to pursue their educations. Typically, they are the first members of their families to attend college, and of course, law school.