The Study Group Scholarship for Women in Law

The Study Group Scholarship for Women in Law is a three-year, renewable scholarship for women students attending the University of Denver’s (DU) Sturm College of Law.

The Study Group Scholarship invests in women who will be equipped to shape a more just and equitable legal system – amplifying the voices and impact of women who continue to face inequalities in the practice of law. By supporting women in law today, we are strengthening advocacy, leadership, and systemic equity for generations to come.

Recipients of The Study Group Scholarship for Women in Law will be known as the Study Group Scholars.

This scholarship was created in 2026 by Debra Lappin, Rosemary Collyer, and Kris Hoeltgren, with a philosophy and commitment to women in law driven by their experience with their own “study group” at the DU Sturm College of Law.

Where it all started

When Debra, Rosemary, and Kris attended DU beginning in 1974, fewer than 15% of the class were women. They formed a study group in the early weeks of law school that continued through the three years of their law school career. This study group became not only a place for their trusted, shared analyses of the courses they were taking, but a source of support for their resilience, perseverance, and ultimate success.

All three graduated among the top 10 students of their class and eventually went on to successful and very different careers. Rosemary became the first woman to chair the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, to become general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, and to serve as the managing partner of the international law firm of Crowell & Moring. Following these “firsts,” she became a highly respected federal district court judge in Washington DC and presiding judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Building on her experiences as an associate in one of Denver’s largest law firms, Kris saw a need for a law practice tailored to the demands of small businesses. Towards that goal, she secured a Doctorate in Management and took and taught college-level economics. She made that goal a reality and, continuing as of the time of the creation of this scholarship, has worked to provide quality, cost-effective legal services to small businesses, helping them to grow and succeed.

Debra became the first woman to serve as general counsel of a large independent oil company and then one of a small group of women partners at Mayer, Brown and Platt. Later, due to personal health challenges, she shifted her life’s work into national health and research policy consulting. As chair of the national Arthritis Foundation, she became a leading voice for the partnership between the federal research enterprise and the public it serves. She was appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to serve as an advisor to the directors of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These experiences became the foundation for a twenty-year consulting practice in a large, global law firm, where Debra became nationally recognized as a spokesperson and advocate for medical research, and forged the design and execution of multiple public/private partnerships involving federal health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofits to advance patient-centered Alzheimer’s drug development.

Today, Debra, Rosemary, and Kris hope this scholarship will inspire recipients to mentor their peers so that other women experience the power of mutual support that characterized the “study group” and go on in their careers to further the influence and success of women in the practice of law and society.

Eligibility

• Entering, first-year woman law student for the coming academic year
• Academic excellence as required by the merit standards for the DU Sturm College of Law
• Evidence of distinctive qualities aligned with the scholarships aims
• Willingness and commitment to serving as a mentor to new scholarship recipients

The scholarship is a three-year scholarship with annual renewals conditioned on the recipient remaining enrolled full-time and maintaining satisfactory academic progress as required by the merit standards of the DU College of Law.

Scholarship recipients (one new recipient starting every year) will convene at The Denver Foundation for an annual meeting designed and expected to forge connections and mutual support through a vibrant and growing Study Group Scholars Network. Through the Study Group Scholars Network, each recipient will be expected to proactively seek to mentor one or more Study Group Scholars who succeed them. As the Study Group Scholars Network grows it is the intent of the donors that the network itself becomes a valuable resource and gratifying ongoing experience for the women who are Study Group Scholars.

Selection criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on:

• Responses to three essay questions
• Undergraduate transcript(s)
• Letter of recommendation

Award details

• Scholarship Amount: $10,000
• Number of Awards: 1
• This scholarship is renewable for up to 2 additional years
• Award amounts may be used toward the recipient’s tuition, fees, books, and supplies
• All scholarships will be paid directly to a recipient’s post-secondary institution. Award disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship policies of a recipient’s post-secondary institution
• Award must be used for the upcoming academic year

How to apply 

1. Read through the eligibility criteria above to confirm you meet the requirements for this scholarship
2. Log into TDF Scholarship Manager and apply for The Study Group Scholarship for Women in Law
3. Prepare and submit the following items:
   1. One letter of recommendation from an individual who can speak with deep knowledge of the candidate and her specific qualifications for this scholarship
   2. Transcript
   3. Responses to the following prompts:
      1. We want to get to know you. Tell us about yourself and, in your response, address the following:
         • Tell us about an experience or aspect of your background that helped shape who you are today.
         • Tell us about a mistake you made, and what you learned from it, and how this affected your life.
         • What else should we know about you that will help us understand your qualifications for this scholarship?
      2. Please confirm your willingness and commitment to being a mentor through the Study Group Scholars Network. In this regard, discuss a person who had a major influence in your life, what you have taken from that experience, and how this will influence your approach as a mentor.
      3. Did you use AI resources in any fashion in developing your responses above? If so, tell us how you used AI and how this shaped your responses, and if not, why not?