The Morgan Lewis Foundation selected Nia Colon and Jasmine Vidaurri Martinez, both rising 2Ls, as recipients of this year’s Diversity Scholarship awards.
Through its Diversity Scholarship program, the Morgan Lewis Foundation provides financial support to promising law students from underrepresented groups. Since 2014, the foundation has awarded more than 50 law school scholarships, totaling $1 million. Ms. Colon and Ms. Vidaurri Martinez were among 10 award recipients in 2021.
“The scholarship will mean less financial anxiety and more opportunity to pursue government work,” said Ms. Colon. “As a first-generation American of Puerto Rican and Nevisian descent, it's been a dream of mine to become an Assistant United States Attorney and give back to the country that gave my family a home.”
Ms. Colon earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Columbia University. She is a member of The George Washington Law Review, and was selected as a GW Public Interest Scholar. This fall, she will be an intern with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
“For now, my future plans include taking more classes and internships in white-collar crime, with possible firm work on the horizon, to gain more litigation experience before pursuing a formal career as an Assistant United States Attorney,” she said.
Ms. Vidaurri Martinez, who is a member of The George Washington Law Review, also is working on the relaunch of GW Law’s First Generation & Low-Income Professionals student organization. She earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Holy Names University, and a master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from GW’s Graduate School of Political Management.
“I am grateful for the Morgan Lewis Foundation’s commitment to diversity in the legal field and assisting diverse students, not only with a generous scholarship but also with mentorship,” said Ms. Vidaurri Martinez. “For students like me, navigating law school as a first-generation higher education student is an intimidating and difficult process, and to have the support of the Morgan Lewis Foundation is pivotal.”
Ms. Vidaurri Martinez works at the GW Immigration Clinic with Professor Alberto Benitez and Professorial Lecturer in Law Paulina Vera. “I couldn’t be more grateful for their support and for giving me the opportunity to work with a type of law that resonates so personally with my family and me,” she said.
In the future, Ms. Vidaurri Martinez plans to use her law degree to help vulnerable and marginalized populations succeed and thrive. “I am a staunch believer that while your hometown may be small and your resources may be limited, your dreams do not have to be,” she said.