Eight Rutgers Law School students were awarded scholarships from the Garden State Bar Association and the association also recognized the law school’s pioneering Minority Student Program at its 43rd anniversary scholarship and awards gala on June 2.

The winning scholarship students were: Whitney Dumeng ‘19, Diane Felipe ‘20, Kemar Brown ‘20, Nakea Barksdale ‘20, Nikia Clark ‘21, Brian Lewis ‘20, M’Ballou Sanogho ‘20, and Shirley Moreno ‘20.

Dumeng, Felipe, Moreno, and Sanogho attend law school in Newark, while Lewis, Clark, Brown, and Barksdale, attend law school in Camden.

Students were chosen based on their financial need, involvement in law school and community activities, which benefit the African-American community, their resume, transcript, and one-page biography. In addition, each student winner was interviewed by GSBA members.

The scholarships were sponsored by law firms and individuals, including Archer, Schenck Price Smith & King, LLP, Costello & Mains, Day Pitney LLP, Porzio Bromberg & Newman PC, Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland Perretti LLP, Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, Hudson Reporting, Richard Constable, and Jamal Haughton.

In addition, the Minority Student Program was presented with the association’s Raymond A. Brown Award. The glass statue given to the law school said, “Celebrating 50 years of diversifying the legal professional and legal education.” In April, the law school held a daylong symposium and evening gala to celebrate the program, which began in 1968 as a student-led effort to diversify the law school. The post-admissions program, which began in Newark, is also at Rutgers Law School in Camden. It’s graduates over the years include legislators, judges, corporate executives, professors and other noteworthy attorneys.

According to its website, "The GSBA was created to support African-American and other attorneys of color to gain and maintain permanence in the legal profession in the State of New Jersey. In an effort to give back to the community, twenty-five years ago, the GSBA created a Scholarship Fund to help African-American law students attending schools in New Jersey. Traditionally, one student from each of New Jersey’s law schools was chosen to receive a scholarship. However, the GSBA has expanded the scholarship program to permit New Jersey residents attending law schools outside of New Jersey to apply."