Seth Blanton received the OCU School of Law Dean’s Scholarship.
Two honors seniors at Rogers State University have been named recipients of substantial scholarships to attend law school.
Seth Blanton, a military history senior from Midwest City, and Colton Scott, a business administration – accounting senior from Claremore, have been accepted into law programs at Oklahoma City University and the University of Tulsa, respectively.
Blanton received the OCU School of Law Dean’s Scholarship, which provides full tuition and fees and is renewable for up to two years. Scott received a TU College of Law Scholarship for approximately 90 percent of his tuition with an option to use the funds to study abroad in Ireland. Both Blanton and Scott credit the RSU Honors Program with preparing them to attend law school.
“The smaller class size and discussion-based classes have helped me the most,” Scott said. “Professors really work with you to help you figure out your own opinion and where you stand.”
Colton Scott received a TU College of Law Scholarship for approximately 90 percent of his tuition.
Blanton said the Honors Program emphasized analysis and critical thinking skills, which he says are a vital aspect of law school.
“I wasn’t sure about attending a regional school when I started, but now I feel more prepared than my friends who attended larger schools,” Blanton said. “The Honors Program at RSU is more rigorous and immersive than the other programs I looked at as a freshman, and I’m happy with how well it prepared me for graduation and beyond.”
Blanton was also one of two students chosen to complete a spring 2015 internship through The Washington Center. The experience let him to create Success Series, a series of professional development lectures designed to help students connect with and learn from local business leaders.
“My internship at the Washington Center focused on doing a lot of research and policy analysis, which is what I’ll be doing in law school,” Blanton said. “That internship was something I could only do at RSU.”
Graduates from RSU’s Honors Program are well prepared for graduate school or starting their careers, said Dr. James Ford, who serves as Professor of English and Humanities, as well as Director of Academic Enrichment that includes the Honors Program.
“Law school has always been a popular choice for Honors Program graduates. Our students go on to pursue professional and educational opportunities here in Oklahoma as well as places like Boston, Florida and Indiana,” Ford said. “Seth and Colton are outstanding examples both of what our students can achieve and the kind of opportunities RSU helps create.”
The Honors Program recently was named a beneficiary of the largest individual, charitable pledge in school history. The $2 million pledge from an anonymous donor will provide enhancements and scholarships for the Honors Program, with additional funds being used for continued maintenance of campus buildings.
Blanton said he’d like to work in homeland security, which would build on the work he did during his internship. Scott said he would like to work in TU’s family law clinic during graduate school before moving into civil and business law after graduation.
“TU’s internship and practical training programs really let you work with families and help people, which is really exciting to me,” Scott said. “I know I was given opportunities that others were not, and I want to give back to others who didn’t have that.”
Scott encourages anyone considering applying to law school to research the requirements, visit local campuses and ask plenty of questions.
For more information on the Honors Program at RSU, contact Ford at 918-343-7749 or visit www.rsu.edu/honors-program.