Scholarships Open Doors: Two UIC Law Students Awarded $5K in Scholarships from the National Bar Association
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In a time when national policy is creating financial barriers for how students pay for secondary education; private scholarships are keeping the doors to opportunities open. They are not just funding education, they are affirming potential, building equity, and fueling the future of the legal profession.
Jordan Bernard, a rising 3L at UIC Law, recently received the National Bar Association (NBA) Corporate Counsel Section Scholarship after volunteering at the NBA’s Corporate Legal Summit. Encouraged to apply by Professor Yolanda King, who was impressed with her leadership during the 2025 UIC Law Black Legal Summit, Bernard shared the opportunity with other members of the Black Law Students Association at UIC Law. This led to her and Student Bar Assocation President Mitrese Smith being awarded $2,500 each in scholarships.
“This scholarship will go directly toward my bar prep dues,” Bernard shared. “As someone pursuing a career in civil litigation and public service, this support means more than just financial relief. It’s recognition. It shows that the work I’ve done is seen and valued by leaders in the legal community.”
Smith also believes that scholarships offer more than financial relief and speaks to the encouragement and validation that receiving a scholarship offers.
“I have worked so hard during my law school career,” Smith stated. “I was absolutely elated when we won. This scholarship was an amazing opportunity for students to see that hard work and dedication pays off.”
A recent statement by UIC Law Dean Nicky Boothe also shed light on this sentiment, acknowledging the exorbitant cost of becoming a lawyer.
dean boothe quote
“Money matters. It’s no secret: the road to becoming a lawyer is long, demanding, and expensive. Scholarships don’t just relieve financial pressure — they change lives.”
| UIC Law Dean
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The Corporate Counsel Section scholarship was designed to strengthen the legal pipeline for minority law students and is given to students who intend to apply to or currently attend law school.