The USD School of Law will seek to increase the number of American Indian law students after they received a $70,000 grant from the John T. Vucurevich Foundation in honor of USD alum Judge Lawrence Piersol.
Law School Dean Barry Vickrey will be selecting two students to receive the $7,000 scholarships. The two students will get $7,000 per semester based upon recommendations from the Law School’s Financial Aid and Awards Committee.
Students wishing to receive the scholarship must be ranked at the top of their class and either enrolled in an American Indian tribe or promises to volunteer a year of public service, said Roger Baron, Financial Aid and Award Committee.
Law student Mindy Ovenden said the law school’s attempt to bring more American Indian students is admirable.
‘Its great to encourage the Native American population … to experience law school,’ she said.
Junior American Indian Studies major Amanda Taylor, also an American Indian, agreed and said the scholarship may encourage more American Indians to pursue a degree.
‘I hope it encourages more Native Americans to go (to law school), she said.’
Law school Professor Frank Pommershein said awarding a scholarship with a focus on one group of students is based on a history of discrimination and the attempt to encourage American Indians into the legal profession.
Vickrey said eligibility requirements for the scholarship reflect Piersol’s public service life and belief that American Indians are underrepresented in the legal system. The requirements were agreed upon by Piersol and the Foundation.
Vickrey said it is an Honor for the law school to be able to have a scholarship in Piersol’s name.
‘It ties the Law School to the caliber of legal expertise that Judge Piersol has,’ he said.
Piersol, a 1962 USD graduate, earned a J.D. degree from the law school in 1965. He had a private practice from 1968 to 1993 when he took a seat on the United States District court for the Court of South Dakota until 2005.
Piersol’s record of public service and his advisory role with the USD Foundation are the prime reasons for having this scholarship in his name, Vickrey said.
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