Keely Epplin

“It is with passion, courage of conviction, and strong sense of self that we take our next steps into the world.” It was these words Elle Woods told her graduating class of law school in the movie , however, Elle forgets to mention one of the most ​ ​ important components of what being a lawyer really entails. I believe the most important quality that a lawyer must possess is the capacity to serve and help others.

From a young age, I knew that I was called to help people. Throughout the course of my academic career at the University of Mississippi, I have learned the importance of community service and the correlation it has with the legal field. Most recently, this connection was brought to life through my Advanced Seminar in Legal Studies class. A ​ majority of a lawyer’s job is advocating for those who cannot do it themselves. Throughout Dr. Hopper’s Life, he did just that. In his paper “The Conjugal Visit at Mississippi State Penitentiary,” he discusses the advantages of having these visitation policies. Also, he gives testimonies from inmates who have seen improvements in their behavior as a result of these visitation policies. One paper of his that particularly pulled at my heart strings is “The Forgotten Sufferers: Children of Inmates.” Here he expresses how having parents in the penitentiary system affects their children. A consistent theme of Dr. Hopper’s work is his advocacy for those who can not advocate for themselves.

Much like Dr. Hopper, I have learned the importance of advocating for others, but not legally. Serving my community has always been a part of my life. I have had the ​ opportunity to help not only the people in my community, but people across the country. I have volunteered for organizations such as the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Give Kids the World, Optimist Club, American Thresherman Association, Illini Feed the Hungry, Perry County Child Advocacy Center, Five Star, the Foundation for Pinckneyville, the Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s, and the Grove Grocery.

With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to pursue my dream of becoming an attorney to help advocate for those who can not advocate for themselves. I hope to live out my career much like Dr. Hopper lived out his. As many know, attending college is not an inexpensive choice to make, let alone my plans to attend law school. In order to be financially efficient, I have cut down a year of the 3+3 program into a “2+3” program. I have shortened my academic career all the while maintaining a 4.0 GPA as well as participating in volunteer work and extracurriculars.

I am applying for this scholarship to help alleviate the financial burden that comes with wanting to pursue a career as an attorney. As an undergraduate student at the University of Mississippi, I also plan on attending law school here at Ole Miss as well. I love this university and hope to be able to continue my education here. This scholarship will only help with my academic plans.