Mark A. Whitt Scholarship Fund

The Mark A. Whitt Scholarship Fund was established in 2015 with a gift from alumnus Mark A. Whitt ’97 for the purpose of offering scholarship assistance to a student exemplifying the qualities of determination, perseverance, and “grit” in his/her pursuit of a law degree.

Whitt grew up in Alliance, Ohio. A classic underachiever, he took no college entrance exams and graduated from high school with a 2.2 GPA. He enlisted in the U.S. Army immediately after high school, serving on active duty for two years as an infantryman in the 2nd Infantry Division, Korea, and 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Ft. Campbell, Ky. Whitt continued to serve in the Army Reserve during his undergraduate studies at The University of Akron, graduating cum laude in 1993. During law school, he served as editor-in-chief of the Akron Law Review and was a member of the ATLA Mock Trial Team. He was hired by Jones Day as a third-year law student, eventually becoming a partner in the firm. In 2012, Whitt founded Whitt Sturtevant LLP, a law firm representing clients in the energy and utility industries from offices in Columbus and Chicago.

Whitt generously has committed to offer $5,000 in scholarship assistance to a full-time or part-time student who exemplifies the qualities of determination, perseverance, and “grit” in his/her pursuit of a law degree. Target candidates for this award include first-generation college graduates, students with learning disabilities, addicts in recovery, single parents, and students who are living with or have overcome similar adversity. Applicants should submit a personal statement explaining the obstacles they have confronted, how they overcame those obstacles, and the advice they would give to an aspiring law student faced with similar obstacles. All personal statements will be held in strict confidence. Whitt will select the recipient based on his/her personal statement and an interview. The scholarship award may be used to cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board, all or in part.