$cholarship Opportunities

Capital Area Paralegal Association

Award: $250

Deadline: Received by October 15

Requirements: Applicants must be voting, associate or student members of CAPA in good standing.

Notes: The scholarship funds can be used toward any of the following: National Association of Legal Assistants Manual for Legal Assistants 3E, Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar, Certified Paralegal/Certified Legal Assistant testing fee, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) testing fee, Advanced Paralegal Certification testing fee, CLA short course, or other continuing legal education that has been approved for credit from NALA, the state bar of Texas or TBLS.

Contact Information: Nancy McLaughlin Scholarship Committee Chair, Linette A. Edwards, ACP, Winstead PC, 401 Congress Avenue, Suite 2100, Austin, TX 78701, or visit www.capatx.org.

Dallas Area Paralegal Association

Award: Two scholarships totaling $1,000

Deadline: Received by October 29

Requirements: Applicants must be enrolled and actively participating in a minimum of six hours of study in a baccalaureate, post-baccalaureate or associate degree paralegal education program at a college or paralegal school that is American Bar Association approved or institutionally accredited and in compliance with the ABA guidelines in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and contiguous counties. Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0 grade point average.

Notes: The recipients of the scholarships and one guest each will be invited to attend DAPA’s annual holiday luncheon in mid-December where they will be awarded their scholarships.

Contact Information: Communities Foundation of Texas, Attn: Leslie Parks, 5500 Caruth Haven Lane, Dallas, TX 75225-8146.

Southwest Florida Paralegal Association

Award: Two Certified Legal Assistant exam scholarships — $225, $250; two Certified Legal Assistant Specialist exam scholarships — $100, $125; one student scholarship — $300

Deadline: Received by October 31

Requirements: CLA and CLAS exams: must be an active member of SWFPA; must have CLA designation prior to taking a CLAS exam. Student Scholarship: must be enrolled in a paralegal program at an accredited school and have at least a 3.5 GPA. Applicants must submit a certified copy of transcripts and two letters of recommendation (one from an instructor at the school where the applicant is enrolled and one from a present or former employer or other personal reference excluding relatives).

Notes: For the student scholarship, applicants who are not student members of SWFPA must include $10 with their application.

Contact Information: Southwest Florida Paralegal Association, P.O. Box 2094, Sarasota, FL, 34230-2094, or visit www.swfloridaparalegals.com.

Tennessee Paralegal Association

Award: $750

Deadline: Received by October 1

Requirements: Applicants must submit one letter of personal recommendation, one letter of scholastic recommendation, an official copy of transcripts and a short statement explaining student’s reasons for applying for the scholarship and why he or she would like to become a paralegal. Applicants must list any organizations they belong to and any community or school involvement. One of the letters of recommendation must come from a teacher familiar with applicants’ scholastic ability.

Notes: The scholarship was created in the 1990s in honor of TPA founding member, Lawassa B. Jones, who passed away in 1993 after battling cancer.

Contact Information: Tennessee Paralegal Association, Attn: Scholarship Committee Chairperson, c/o Toppenberg & Burke, P.C., 612 S. Gay Street, Suite One, Knoxville, TN, 37902, or visit www.tnparalegal.org/scholarship.html.