Donor Sponsored Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to part-time evening law students who have demonstrated financial need. The scholarship is renewable when the student continues study at the University and makes satisfactory progress toward degree completion. This scholarship was established through the generosity of Maurice H. and Rebekah M. Baitler. Maurice received his law degree from Northeastern University-Springfield Division (later Western New England University) in 1942 and later went on to receive his LLM in Taxation from Boston University. A partner in the law firm Baitler, LaCroix, & Fuller, Maurice practiced taxation law and once sat before the Massachusetts Supreme Court, along with his former partner Jean R. LaCroix, on a famous murder case involving Kenneth Chapin. Maurice was also a Free Mason and a former adjunct professor of law at the Law School. Rebekah was a graduate of the Maine College of Business and worked for 15 years at the Springfield District Court in the Parking Ticket Office. Rebekah was a life member of the order of the Eastern Star, Madonna Chapter, and a former President of both the Agawam Women’s Club and the Evening Alliance of the Unitarian Universalist Society. Rebekah also was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union; World Federalists, USA; Southern Poverty Law Center; Simon Wiesenthal Center of CA; and the MA Chapter Against the Death Penalty. Both Maurice and Rebekah were long time residents of Wilbraham, MA.

This scholarship for law students with demonstrated academic merit and financial need was generously created by Judge Sidney M. and Mrs. Anne V. Cooley. Judge Cooley served as a District Court Judge from 1960 until 1973, including a term as the Presiding Justice of the District Court of western Hampden County. A former Major in the U.S. Army, Judge Cooley is the recipient of the prestigious Bronze Star. He began practicing law in 1946 with his older brother, Attorney Edward B. Cooley. In 1955, Judge Cooley and his brother formed the firm Cooley, Furcolo, and Cooley, the predecessor to the Cooley Shrair law firm in Springfield, MA. Judge Cooley received his law degree from Western New England University (then Springfield-Northeastern) in 1941. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1984 and an honorary Juris Doctor in 2001 from Western New England University and honorary degrees from Westfield State University and Elms College. In 1986, Judge Cooley was named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by Western New England University.

Mrs. Cooley was a graduate of Louisiana State University and received a master’s degree in rehabilitation from Springfield College and an honorary degree from Elms College. She was an active volunteer for decades at Wesson Women’s Hospital at Baystate Medical Center, Meals on Wheels, the Jewish Nursing Home, the Massachusetts Association for the Blind, Rachel’s Table, the Gray House, and the Work Opportunity Center, having served on the board of directors of several of those organizations. Mrs. Cooley passed away in 2012.

Judge and Mrs. Cooley have both been recognized and honored with numerous community awards, including the prestigious William Pynchon Award. Their longstanding support of many Western New England University initiatives and endeavors is exemplary. 

A scholarship based on academic merit is awarded to a female applicant who has interrupted her education and is seeking to enter the School of Law. Preference is given to any woman who interrupted her education after college for marriage, child rearing, starting work, moving to a different location, or economic reasons. This scholarship was establish by Mrs. Beatrice S. Nelen.

The Student Bar Association awards two scholarships:

The Joanne Grummel Endowed Memorial Scholarship is based on academic success, extracurricular activities, and economic need. The scholarship was established through contributions by family and friends of Joanne Grummel ’83JD.

The John J. O’Connor Memorial Scholarship recognizes those individuals who exhibit a commitment to serve the School of Law and community. Academic achievement and financial need are considered.

Minimum scholarships of $10,000 are available to students from Western Massachusetts enrolled in the School of Law. There is a preference for the recipients of these scholarships to be actively employed while attending law school. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 either as an entering or returning student. In order to retain this scholarship in future years, the recipients must continue to meet all requirements of the fund. This scholarship was generously established through a bequest from June Lester in memory of her husband, J. Raymond Lester ’39BBA/’56JD.  After graduating from law school, Ray went into private practice in Springfield, MA, focusing on real estate and estate planning.

A scholarship is available to a returning law student based upon a combination of academic merit and financial need. The recipient should be in the top third of their class and concentrating their legal education through course work and experiential learning opportunities toward the area of transactional law. This scholarship was generously established by Joseph S. Aboyoun. Joseph is a 1978 graduate of Western New England University School of Law. Joseph is a partner in the New Jersey law firm, Aboyoun & Heller, LLC. A business lawyer, Joseph focuses his practice around automobile dealers and those with whom they do business, including sales and acquisitions, franchise disputes, and succession planning as well as being a skilled negotiator and mediator.

A scholarship is available to a returning student in the School of Law with both demonstrated academic merit and financial need. This scholarship was generously created by the School of Law's Class of 1983 in honor of their thirteenth reunion.

A scholarship is available to a returning law student who has demonstrated academic ability and financial need. This scholarship was generously created by members of the School of Law's Class of 1984.