Two Mercer seniors awarded George W. Woodruff Scholarship

Emma Stitt and Stephanie Hennigan were two of four students to receive the George W. Woodruff Scholarship to the Walter F. George School of Law. Stitt and Hennigan are Mercer seniors who will be attending law school this fall.

The award is a merit-based scholarship granted annually to four members of each entering class. The scholarship covers full tuition and the students also receive a $5,000 annual stipend, which can be used for living expenses and books. As long as the students remain in good standing, the scholarship is renewable.

The students have until April 1 to accept the scholarship.

Stitt said, “The scholarship is making it much easier for me to stay in Macon. I definitely won’t have to take out as many loans, and staying in Macon was ideal.”

Stitt also considered attending the University of Georgia and Emory University for law school because she wanted to remain in-state. However, she has made the decision to attend Mercer Law.

“I just have to make the deposit,” she said.

Hennigan has been accepted to Washington and Lee University, William and Mary University and Wake Forest University. Her acceptance of the award to Mercer Law is still pending.

Hennigan said, “It’s a huge honor. Law school is very expensive and to not only be awarded a full ride but such a generous stipend as well is incredible.”

Both students were initially awarded full tuition, but after a rigorous weekend-long interview process they were awarded the additional stipend.

Stitt said, “I wasn’t as nervous after I knew that I got a full ride. I knew Mercer was where I wanted to be. I just had to show them how well I thought Mercer would fit.”

Mercer Law paid for the 12 Woodruff Scholarship candidates to stay at the 1842 Inn during the interview process. The students had a tour of the school, met with professors and were able to attend a class. Next, they had a 30-minute interview with each panel, which was made up of former scholars, alumni and professors.

Hennigan said, “The coolest part of the whole weekend was when the dean looked at my resume and said, ‘I don’t think there’s anything else you could have done and nothing you could have done better to prepare for law school.’”

Stitt said she enjoyed seeing how energetic and sincere the alumni who helped with the scholarship weekend were about the school. She said, “They were willing to answer questions and they genuinely liked being at Mercer.”

Stitt is a psychology major with a minor in music. She also held a leading role in The Lucky Spot and is performing in My Fair Lady this semester.

Hennigan is a sociology and communications double-major with a minor in Criminal Justice. She also spent last summer working with orphans in Moldova through Mercer on Mission. She hopes to pursue a career working in the public-service sector of law. Stitt plans to practice family law, mainly divorce, but is open to exploration.