3L Vania Cebrero was awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Women’s Bar Foundation.
In order to apply for this scholarship, you must be nominated by your law school. Cebrero was nominated by her Career Services Counselor, Stacia Goldstein. Her application was then reviewed by Assistant Dean for Admissions, Chanté Spann, and Assistant Director of Admissions, Gabrielle Richards. Once her application was submitted, she was contacted by WBF for an interview. The interview was in front of the entire board of the WBF and Cebrero found out shortly after that she had been selected.
It is no surprise why Cebrero was chosen for the honor. Cebrero currently serves as the Executive Justice of John Marshall’s Moot Court Honors Board, is Co-President of OUTLaw and Vice President of Communications for the Hispanic National Bar Association Law Student Division.
“The philosophy of the Women’s Bar Foundation has always been ‘women helping women.’ That is something that I truly believe in and have tried to live my life by. Growing up as a queer woman of color, I never had a professional mentor that I could look up to. I am now fortunate enough to say that I have various women in my life who have served as mentors throughout my law school career. As I grew older, I really started to identify with the saying, ‘be who you needed when you were younger.’ It is an immense honor and privilege to receive this award, and I hope to one day make a positive impact on the lives of women, as others have done for me.”
Students interested in similar scholarships may want to speak with their CSO counselor to see what opportunities may be available to them and remember the power of networking. According to Ms. Cebrero, “Get involved and seek positions of leadership within organizations that you’re passionate about. That can be student organizations, bar associations (both local and national), or non-profits. Networking is extremely important, and it is crucial to establish and cultivate professional relationships early on in your law school career. I have met so many wonderful people throughout law school, and I strongly believe that I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have today if it weren’t for my extracurricular involvement.”
