AccessLex Institute Awards $180,000 in Scholarships through its MAX by AccessLex® Personal Finance Program
West Chester, PA (May 15, 2019) - Six law students from across the country will have a lot less student debt to worry about as the winners of the MAX by AccessLex® Grand Prize Scholarship Drawing. Two students were awarded $40,000 each toward their 2019-2020 law school tuition:
Brianna Potter '20, University of Michigan Law School
Naomie Pierre-Touissant '21, University of Idaho College of Law
And four additional students were each awarded $25,000 scholarships:
Melia Hawley '20, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Stephanie Luhring '20, University of St. Thomas School of Law
Mackenzie Allan '21, Washington University School of Law
Elena Menagias '21, Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
AccessLex Institute has awarded over $300,000 in MAX scholarships since the program launched in fall 2017.
Lindsay Stetson, Assistant Dean for Financial Aid at Michigan, said, "We are delighted to be able to offer the MAX program to our students. Financial literacy is a vital life skill, and it is rarely taught as part of a formal educational setting. We so appreciate having this wonderful tool to share with our students as they prepare for their professional and financial lives."
Designed exclusively for law students, MAX is a comprehensive personal finance curriculum that combines in-person workshops, online programming and one-on-one counseling with fully accredited financial counselors to drive the knowledge gain and behavior change that is essential for students to make sound financial decisions. MAX is available free of charge to nonprofit and State-affiliated ABA-approved law schools and their students.
To help incentivize workshop participation and lesson completion, students who participate in MAX are entered into drawings by completing online lessons and attending the program's webinars and workshops. "The critical financial education that MAX provides is the program's most valuable prize and subsequently makes winners of each and every user," said Cynthia Cassity, Senior Vice President for Education and Strategic Engagement at AccessLex.
Scholarship winner Melia Hawley concurred, saying, "The MAX program opens doors for law students, not only with their scholarships, but with the empowerment of financial knowledge. The lessons provided by the MAX program gave me a sense of security in knowing that I can create a financial plan to pay off my debt and achieve my dreams. Not only has this scholarship impacted my next year, MAX has impacted my overall financial future!"
$25,000 winner Stephanie Luhrig expressed, "I really like that MAX starts the conversation with law students before we take on three more years of student debt, and that the workshops and online activities are accepting of our personal approaches to finances."
And Lisa Brabbit, Senior Assistant Dean for External Relations and Programs at St. Thomas, added, "AccessLex is committed to empowering the next generation of lawyers with professional tools, knowledge and competencies that center on financial responsibility. We are thrilled that Stephanie is the beneficiary of their commitment and vision."
Currently, MAX is available at over 140 law schools nationwide and serves more than 11,000 first-year and second-year law students. Beginning fall 2019, the program – and additional scholarship opportunities – will expand to third-year law students. Learn more.
About AccessLex Institute
AccessLex Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. In partnership with its nearly 200 Member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of the Company's mission since 1983. AccessLex Institute has offices in West Chester, PA, and Washington, D.C., with a team of accredited financial education counselors based throughout the United States. Learn more at AccessLex.org.