SCHOLARSHIPS and AWARDS
Scholarships are available each fall and spring semester and cover a portion of the
tuition and fees. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of scholastic achievement,
financial need and/or service to the community.
The following scholarship is available for students attending Monterey College of
Law, San Luis Obispo College of Law, Kern County College of Law, or enrolled in the
hybrid online program:
Board of Trustees Scholarships
Multiple scholarships are awarded each fall and spring semester by the Board of Trustees
with funds contributed by them and other supporters of Monterey College of Law and
its branch campuses in San Luis Obispo and Bakersfield. These scholarships are based
on either financial need or academic excellence.
The following scholarships are available for students attending Monterey College of
Law:
Justice Phil Gibson Scholarship
Endowed in memory of the Presiding Justice of the California Supreme Court from 1944
to 1964, the scholarship is awarded to a second, third, or fourth year law student
on the basis of academic achievement.
Grover Hermann Scholarship
Endowed by his widow and friends in the legal profession, the Grover Hermann Scholarship
is given each fall and spring semester on the basis of academic excellence to a second,
third, or fourth year student.
JoAnn Quilty Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is given to an outstanding re-entry student (second, third, or fourth
year). Re-entry is defined as someone who, like JoAnn, is pursuing a law degree to
re-enter the workforce or change careers. This endowed scholarship was created with
funds contributed by the family, friends, and classmates in memory of JoAnn Quilty,
a MCL graduate who was killed in a plane crash.
Judge Edward J. Smith Scholarship
Endowed in his memory by his daughter and MCL Trustee, Patricia Smith Ramsey, this
scholarship is awarded each fall to a First Year MCL Student in need of financial
assistance. Ms. Smith chose to direct this endowment specifically for entering MCL
students in order to encourage individuals with academic ability and motivation to
pursue their dream of a legal education, even in the face of financial restrictions.
MCL Studyships
The Studyship was created from an endowment from former MCL Trustee member Patricia
Smith Ramsey. The award is to be given to a fourth year student who is unable, because
of financial obligations, to take an unpaid leave-of-absence from his/her/their job
in preparation for the Bar exam. This award will the student to take time off work in order to prepare for the Bar exam.
Monterey County Women Lawyers Association Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to a woman in the fourth year class on the basis of financial
need and service to MCL and the community.
Patricia Shanahan Memorial Scholarship
Established by Women Lawyers of Santa Cruz County in memory of their long-time Board
member, this scholarship is awarded to a female MCL student who is in the second,
third, or fourth year, is a resident of Santa Cruz County and demonstrates financial
need.
Jack Kadushin Scholarship
Endowed in his memory by his daughter, former MCL Dean Karen Kadushin, this scholarship
is awarded each Spring to a Monterey College of Law student who demonstrates the capacity
to successfully complete the J.D. program and pass the Bar Exam.
Christian Pollock Memorial Scholarship
The Christian Pollock Memorial Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship awarded each spring to a second-year or higher MCL student
with an undergraduate degree, B.A. or B.S., who is not currently in the legal field.
The award may be applied for in consecutive years. Christian was compassionate and
passionate about helping others. He loved studying law. He continued his studies from
his ICU bed for months before passing. His family requests that the scholarship be
awarded to a student who, like Christian, is changing careers. Their perseverance,
work ethic, performance, and commitment to excellence should reflect great promise
and mirror the values Christian embodied.
The following scholarships are available for students attending San Luis Obispo College
of Law:
San Luis Obispo College of Law Advisory Board Scholarship
Established by the San Luis Obispo College of Law Advisory Board, this scholarship
is awarded to students presently enrolled in SLOCL and reside in either San Luis Obispo or Northern Santa
Barbara Counties and have shown excellent academic and work performance, volunteer
service, and plans to contribute to the legal profession and the community upon graduation.
Women Lawyers Association of San Luis Obispo
Although not exclusively for students at San Luis Obispo College of Law, this scholarship
is available to current law students or students accepted for enrollment in law school
with a demonstrated connection to San Luis Obispo County. This scholarship is open
to all.
The following scholarships are available for students attending Kern County College
of Law:
KCCL SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
KCCL 2022-2023 Scholarship Application (pdf fillable)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded in the Fall semester to a second, third, or fourth year
student with a cumulative GPA of 78.00 and above.
Overall Achievement Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded in the Fall semester to a second, third, or fourth year
student with a cumulative GPA of 75.00 and above.
Veteran with U.S. Military Experience/First Responder Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded in the Fall semester to a second, third, or fourth year
student who has a cumulative GPA of 72.00 and above.
*U.S. MILITARY: must have been honorably discharged from U.S. military services or in reserve service.
*FIRST RESPONDER: must have had one year or more as a first responder before or during law school. First responders include police officers, firefighters, paramedics.
Alumni Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded in the Fall semester to a 4L student for financial assistance
in their final year of study and particularly to assist during study for the Bar Exam."
