Recent News

July 20, 2007

Two law school students earn Schermer scholarships

Honoring the legacy of Marsha Rockey Schermer, her memorial fund has awarded law school scholarships to two dynamic recipients—Yan Chen and Jamella Lee.

As with past Schermer scholarship recipients, Yan Chen and Jamella Lee quest for justice and equality. They share in the tireless work that Marsha Rockey Schermer pursued by striving to empower the underrepresented and underprivileged to live successful and contributing lives, and to have the same opportunity for economic and social betterment as the rest of society.

Yan Chen is deeply inspired by Schermer’s passionate persistence to achieve equality and justice for women and minorities. “She never gave up her fight for equality and justice,” Chen exclaimed. In a similar vein, Chen remains undaunted by the recent Congressional stalemate and is determined to use her legal education to effect balanced change toward equal opportunities for immigrants. Chen believes that current immigration policies produce the opposite intended effect for immigrants, subjecting even the educated to poverty. Chen’s unique perspective as an international law student, Immigration Law paralegal, in conjunction with the deep personal sacrifices made through volunteer work with orphans in China, will serve to broaden and challenge the perspectives of her fellow students as she begins her law school education at Capital University in August.

Jamella Lee was moved by Schermer’s love for the arts and her commitment to philanthropy, as well as her passion for the law. A talented artist like Schermer, Lee is a vocalist and plays the French horn. Having earned a master’s degree in language and literacy, Lee has a passion for children’s rights and will use her knowledge of language, literacy and childhood development in the Justice for Children program offered by the Moritz College of Law. Lee’s experiences mentoring young women as program officer for the Clinton Democracy Fellowship at City Year in South Africa will add to the law school’s diverse and interdisciplinary approach to advocate for children’s rights.