We are proud to announce that Oumou Jeanne Keita, a Pre-Law student at the University of Arizona, has won our 2016 DiversityJobs Scholarship award.
Oumou’s essay was inspirational and articulated wonderfully. By the age of ten, Oumou alternated between studying law or medicine because of her pediatrician and lawyer, who were “tall and confident”. In junior high, however, she was “introduced to racial stereotypes and sexist jokes that no twelve-year-old could fully understand, let alone create”. Eventually, Oumou decided to study law because she “couldn’t take the prejudice from everyone’s heart”. She believes, however, “people have a right to think and feel however they please” because they live in the United Sates. But Oumou also believes it is not reasonable for “those thoughts and feelings to transfer into action or inaction that oppress other people”. Therefore, she plans to become a lawyer to help American citizens achieve the “ideals of liberty and justice for all”.
Oumou’s intelligence, passion, and obvious drive will no doubt allow her success as a Lawyer.
The five finalists – Oumou Jeanne Keita, Ajit Samra, Laura Kerry-Henkel, Erin Gray and Sophia Leone – were selected from thousands of other applicants for their dedication to learning, desire to make a positive impact on the world, and how their incredible stories have helped mold their future career paths. Choosing one winner was an incredibly difficult decision considering the exceptional student applicants and quality of their essays.
We want to thank our site visitors and all who voted to help us select a winner. The support shown through positive comments left for these students affirms both their career paths and the wonderful impact they already have on the lives of others.
To apply for the next DiversityJobs Scholarship, visit the scholarship page and check if your school has registered for the program.