In response to a compelling need, Vanderbilt seeks to increase the number of endowed scholarships available to our students. Named scholarships, endowed by Vanderbilt's alumni and friends, send an important message about alumni commitment to the law school and its students. We hope you will help maintain a longtime Vanderbilt tradition of investing in excellence.
1. Invest in the next generation of Vanderbilt lawyers and leaders.
Regardless of when they graduated, Vanderbilt Law alumni universally recall three major strengths of their Vanderbilt legal education: rigorous academics, a top-notch faculty of excellent scholars and teachers, and a uniquely collegial community. This winning formula, a longstanding Vanderbilt tradition, has created a formidable list of leaders in every area of the legal profession, who now live and work in 49 states and 29 foreign nations. Many alumni also gratefully mention a fourth way Vanderbilt provided essential support that enabled them to pursue a successful legal career: a scholarship to Vanderbilt Law School.
2. Scholarships enable deserving students to afford a Vanderbilt legal education.
Our current students cite these same advantages when they tell us why they chose Vanderbilt Law School. Each year, Vanderbilt competes with other top law schools to attract outstanding students, our ability to offer full and partial scholarships to students who will truly benefit from the unique advantages of a Vanderbilt legal education is a crucial element of our recruiting program. Although tuition does not cover the entire cost of the outstanding legal education Vanderbilt offers, the cost to students is still significant. Scholarships enable Vanderbilt to continue attracting students distinguished by their strong academic performance, outstanding personal accomplishments and spirit of teamwork and collaboration the qualities that Vanderbilt graduates are known for year after year.
3. Today, the need is greater than ever.
The uncertain economic climate underscores the need for Vanderbilt to make more endowed scholarships, in greater amounts, available to deserving students. Scholarships have the added advantage of reducing the amount of debt students must take on to earn their law degree, enabling new graduates to consider a broader range of entry-level legal, government and public interest positions, including those that offer rich, rewarding professional experience, but often lower pay. More than 70 percent of Vanderbilt Law students currently receive scholarship assistance.
4. Join an elite group of alumni and friends.
When you endow a scholarship, you join an elite group of alumni and friends who have made an enduring investment in future leaders in the legal profession and in Vanderbilt's strength and reputation in the field.
5. Honor a valued mentor, a loved one, or yourself.
You may name your endowed scholarship in honor of yourself, a loved one or a valued mentor. Vanderbilt currently benefits from scholarships honoring former Dean John Wade, former Patrick Wilson Scholars, John S. Beasley Jr. beloved professors Don Hall and Tom McCoy and Paul Hartman, along with other revered faculty members, accomplished alumni and their mentors and loved ones.
6. Endowing a scholarship makes a critical difference to each recipient.
| Gift Level | Benefit | Estimated Annual Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | Helps support 1 student each year | $4,500 |
| $250,000 | Quarter-tuition scholarship | $11,250 |
| $500,000 | Half-tuition scholarship | $22,500 |
| $1,000,000 | Full scholarship | $45,000 |
Please contact the Development & Alumni Relations staff.