Root-Tilden Scholarship

Overview The Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship (see also Root-Tilden, Root-Tilden-Snow) is a full-tuition public service scholarship for students at New York University School of Law.[1]

Contents

The Program

The Root-Tilden-Kern Program looks for students with a demonstrated commitment to the public interest, exceptional leadership ability, and a history of academic achievement. In assessing these criteria, the program looks at the whole person and considers previous life experience and professional work. The program values diversity and strives to select a class that is diverse in terms of race, sex, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, geographic origins, and ideology. Interested candidates should submit an application with their application to New York University School of Law.[2] The application is reviewed by a student and faculty committee before recommendation for an interview. Each year approximately 50 applicants are invited to interview with a panel composed of a faculty member, a judge, a practitioner, and third-year scholars. Twenty scholars are selected for each incoming class.[3]

History

In the 1950s, Dean Emeritus Arthur Vanderbilt conceived of the Root-Tilden Scholarship to transform NYU from a local law school to a nationally and internationally esteemed institution. Founded in 1951, the purpose of the Program was to “train promising young men so as to help attain again for the American bar the high position which it once held as the reservoir of altruistic and competent public leadership.”

The Program was named for two alumni, Elihu Root and Samuel Tilden, who exemplified Vanderbilt’s ideal – lawyers dedicated to public leadership. Twenty scholars were selected for the first class from each of the country’s then 10 judicial circuits. Scholars were at first required to take special courses in the humanities, social sciences, history, and natural sciences and required to live together and share mealtimes five days a week. Scholars would meet with leaders in government, industry, and finance. In 1969, after a campaign by student groups, women were first admitted to the Root Program. To date, more than 800 Root-Tilden- Scholars have graduated from NYU School of Law.[4]

Notable Scholars

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References

  1. ^ http://www.law.nyu.edu/publicinterestlawcenter/financialassistance/scholarships/rootscholarship/index.htm
  2. ^ http://www.law.nyu.edu/publicinterestlawcenter/financialassistance/scholarships/rootscholarship/howtoapply/index.htm
  3. ^ http://www.law.nyu.edu/publicinterestlawcenter/financialassistance/scholarships/rootscholarship/theselectionprocess/index.htm
  4. ^ http://www.law.nyu.edu/publicinterestlawcenter/financialassistance/scholarships/rootscholarship/programhistory/index.htm
  5. ^ http://www.law.nyu.edu/publicinterestlawcenter/financialassistance/scholarships/rootscholarship/alumni/index.htm