CIWBA partners with the Sangamon County Bar Association to jointly fund the Judge Jeanne E. Scott Scholarship, which is awarded to an aspiring or current law student. The scholarship is given in memory of Judge Jeanne Scott, a Springfield native who was the first woman to become a Sangamon County Circuit Court judge and the first female appointee to the federal bench in the Central District of Illinois. The scholarship is available to college students, college graduates intending to go to law school, or current law students attending an accredited law school. Additionally, applicants must have been a resident of one of the following central Illinois counties at the time he or she graduated high school: Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Fulton, Greene, Hancock, Iroquois, Jersey, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Tazewell, Vermilion, or Woodford. If you have questions please email ciwba@ciwba.org.

The 2022 Scholarship Recipient was Ashleigh Yarnik, a student of the University of Illinois College of Law. Ms. Yarnik’s application demonstrated a strong commitment to community and serving the underserved. She aspires to practice law in Central Illinois upon graduation, and we look forward to welcoming her into our organization.