Edwin L. Parms Scholarship Fund

Attorney Edwin L. Parms graduated from The University of Akron in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in Education. After graduation, he served our country in the United States Army, obtaining the rank of first lieutenant. Following his military service, Ed taught in the Akron Public Schools during the day and studied law at night. In 1964, he became president of Akron’s NAACP chapter, earning the distinction at that time of being the youngest president in the nation of an NAACP adult chapter.

In 1965, he received his Juris Doctorate from The University of Akron School of Law and was admitted to the Ohio Bar Association. He and long-time friend, James R. Williams, were the first African-Americans to graduate from the School of Law once it became affiliated with the University. Attorney Parms began his career in private practice with attorney Joseph B. Roulhac, who would later become the first African-American municipal court judge in Summit County, and mentored a long line of successful attorneys.

A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he has served as special counsel to The University of Akron, President of the Akron Barristers Association, Founding Member of the Akron Bar Foundation, Member (Secretary) of the Akron Bar Association’s Board of Directors, Wesley Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, and involved in numerous other organizations. Always the advocate for others, Attorney Parms did not seek recognition or accolades. His honors include being nominated by the Akron Bar Association’s Minority Involvement Committee for the prestigious American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award, the recipient of The University of Akron Outstanding Law Alumni Award, the recipient of the inaugural Life Achiever Award from Eta Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award in the field of law, and Project GRAD Akron’s Buchtel Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Edwin L. Parms Scholarship Fund will award scholarships to a University of Akron School of Law student with a diverse background. First consideration will be given to an African American student who is pursuing a degree from the University of Akron School of Law. Additional diversity factors that will be considered include: (1) urban area residency; (2) evidence of leadership ability; (3) quality of secondary school; (4) involvement in extracurricular activities; (5) achievement despite difficult personal or family situations; (6) completion of special projects or programs that offer evidence of significant effort, accomplishment and a special suitability to law school; and (7) community involvement with a special emphasis on the areas of human or civil rights. Students must have and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50.

Selection of the recipient will be made by The University of Akron School of Law or the Dean in consultation with members of The Akron-Canton Barristers Association.