The Philip D. Shepherd Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Philip D. Shepherd Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Philip D. Shepherd by his loving wife, Sharon. Philip Shepherd was a 1976 graduate of The University of Akron School of Law. He passed away unexpectedly in April 2004. He will be sadly missed by his family and many friends, yet his legacy will live on at The University of Akron School of Law through this scholarship fund.

Philip D. Shepherd was born in 1949 in Lima, Peru. His father, David Shepherd, worked for The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Philip and his family returned to Akron when he was four years old; he attended Firestone High School, which is where he met his future wife, Sharon Soloman.

Philip completed studies for a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and after graduation began working, like his father, for The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He pursued an interest in law by enrolling in the Akron Law School, Evening Division, graduating in 1976. Both Philip and Sharon made many friends during his law school career. The two married and Philip graduated and passed the bar at which time the couple packed up and moved to Michigan for a promising career for Philip with Dow Chemical. Philip made a lifetime career at Dow as a patent attorney. He and Sharon traveled Europe extensively and made a home there — all three of their sons, Todd, Andrew and Stephen, were born abroad. Philip enjoyed a successful and rewarding career at Dow, serving among other positions as senior managing counsel in the patent office for Dow Europe. He was known by his colleagues as a true leader who contributed to the growth and success of the patent division by serving as a mentor to many of the younger lawyers in the office.

Sharon Shepherd established The Philip D. Shepherd Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor Philip’s memory and to acknowledge the excellent legal education Philip received at The University of Akron. Sharon is grateful for the many opportunities that Philip’s education and career afforded her and her family; the travel and exposure to Europe and other countries enriched their lives.

The Philip D. Shepherd Memorial Scholarship Fund shall be awarded to students enrolled in The University of Akron School of Law by the Scholarship Committee and the dean of The School of Law. Scholarship awards can be used for tuition, books, or other expenses and will be directed to assist dedicated and hardworking law students who are pursing their dream of practicing law.