By Kent Jennings Brockwell and Mike Sharkey
Staff Writers
One Florida Coastal School of Law student will be able to breathe a little easier when next semester’s tuition bill arrives in the mail.
Krista Johnson, a rising first-year law student at Florida Coastal, has been awarded one of the 10 available Florida Bar Young Lawyer’s Division scholarships for 2005.
She was presented Friday morning with a check for $2,000 by local attorneys Curry Pajcic and Kevin Cook, chairman and member, respectively, of the Florida Bar Young Lawyer’s Division awards committee.
“This year we had a record number of 65 applications for the scholarships,” Pajcic said. “Krista’s application truly rose to the top.”
Pajcic said the Young Lawyer’s Division scholarships are awarded based on merit to law students attending law schools in the state of Florida. Out of the 10 law schools in Florida, this year’s scholarships were awarded as follows: three went to University of Florida students; two to Florida State University students; two to St. Thomas students; one to a Miami student; one to a Stetson student; and one to FCSL student Johnson.
“There is no number of scholarships assigned per school,” Pajcic said. “They are awarded strictly upon merit. It is a high compliment to Florida Coastal that they would have a student receiving one of these scholarships over students at schools that have been around much longer.”
Originally, the scholarship was only to be for $1,000 to each student but Pajcic said the amount was doubled to $2,000 at the Florida Bar’s annual meeting in June.
Johnson, who is from Minnesota, said the scholarship will help as she completes her degree at FCSL in December of next year. One of her professors, Ann Shorstein, helped with the application process.
“I applied for the scholarship and Professor Shorstein wrote a letter of recommendation,” said Johnson who has yet to decide which area of law to focus on. “I had to locate the scholarship and they are hard to find.”
Johnson said she chose FCSL after researching law schools and one visit to Jacksonville.
“I came here with my dad and fell in love with the Acosta Bridge and the beaches,” she said.
Shorstein is delighted Johnson won the scholarship.
“I am extremely pleased,” said Shorstein. “Krista is a bright, talented gal from Minnesota and we are always happy to have students from other states. They bring a new perspective.”
Florida Coastal Dean Peter Goplerud echoed those sentiments.
“I think it’s great for Krista. She’s an outstanding student and very involved in our student government,” said Goplerud. “From my interactions with her, she’s a good person as well. It’s great for the school, but most importantly, it’s a great deal for her.”