Meet The 2016 Scholarship Recipients
Dear Texas Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy (THJ) Members, Alumni, and Friends,
It is our deepest pleasure to announce that this year, THJ was able to award four $1000 scholarships for greatly deserving students! These scholarships were possible thanks to the generosity of Norton Rose Fulbright, Andrews Kurth, and eight THJ alumni and friends.
The scholarship winners were selected based on academic achievement, financial need, background, and community involvement. The winners of the scholarships are:
- Diego Cervantes, winner of the THJ Norton Rose Fulbright Scholarship:
Diego grew up in Houston, TX and attended Lone Star College and the University of Houston, where he earned a B.S. in Economics with University Honors. After college, he worked at an investment company for two years before enrolling in the University of Texas School of Law. After law school, he plans on working in litigation in the State of Texas.
- Adia Mercado- Montero, winner of the THJ Norton Rose Fulbright Alumni Scholarship:
Adia Mercado-Montero is from La Crosse, Wisconsin. She attended the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse for her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and the University of Texas at Austin for her Masters Degree in African and African Diaspora Studies. After law school she plans to work for the government in eminent domain and zoning law.
- April Garcia, winner of the THJ Alumni and Friends Scholarship:
April Marie Garcia was born in San Diego, California and raised in El Paso, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She went straight through undergraduate to law school. She will graduate in May 2017, and plans on working in a government office, most likely as a prosecutor in a county attorney’s office.
- Justine (Iya) Tan, winner of the THJ Andrews Kurth & Alumni Scholarship:
Justine Tan was born and raised in Manila, Philippines, but has called Texas home for the past twelve years. She attended UT Austin for her undergraduate degree and graduated with a degree in Psychology, and had the fortune to go back for law school. After law school, she plans on going into government work, with the ultimate goal of landing a position at a district attorney’s office here in Texas.
Once again, we would like to thank all those people who supported THJ this past 2015-2016 year. If you would like to contribute for next year’s scholarships (2016-2017), please reach out to: Isaac Mallet- imallett@utexas.edu; and Marcela Varela-Sisley- marcela.vs@utexas.edu.
Very sincerely,
Leonel Ruiz
2015-2016 Editor-in-Chief
Texas Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy