Hopkins-Gillispie & Gentry Receive Baker & Daniels' 2010 Diversity Scholarships
Baker & Daniels LLP has awarded its 2010 diversity scholarships to Indiana University Maurer School of Law - Bloomington students Christopher Edwin Hopkins-Gillispie and Evelyn Gentry. The diversity scholarships consist of a $10,000 scholarship for each student and placement in Baker & Daniels' summer associate class. Recipients of the scholarship are selected by the firm's diversity executive committee.
Baker & Daniels' diversity scholarships were established in 2007 for students of varied ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds. Lifestyle, disabilities and unique viewpoints are also considered when selecting law students for the award. Second-year law students at IU-Indianapolis, IU-Bloomington and the University of Notre Dame are eligible for the scholarship.
"We're thrilled that Christopher and Evelyn are our 2010 scholarship recipients," said Joe Smith, Baker & Daniels' diversity committee chair. "They are extremely bright, talented young people who have already accomplished so much. They have exciting legal careers ahead of them. We look forward to welcoming them as part of our summer associate class."
Hopkins-Gillespie is active in the Business & Law Society, the Black Law Students Association, Phi Alpha Delta (serving as academic chair), the Tenant Assistance Project and Moot Court. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from Valparaiso University and his M.B.A. from Woodbury University in Burbank, California, where he was the recipient of the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award.
Hopkins-Gillespie clerked in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the summer of 2009, where he assisted with case development and enforcement materials, including subpoenas and complaints. He also worked as a marketing general manager and communications manager for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage while earning his M.B.A.
Gentry is the recipient of the Indianapolis Bar Association Diversity Scholarship; Educational Opportunity, Charles Wilson and Karen Hodge Fellowships; and a 2009 Jenner & Block Scholar. She is a member of the Black Law Student Association and a violinist in the Indiana University All-Campus Orchestra.
Gentry received her B.A. in Political Science and English Literature from DePaul University, where she studied Eastern European Politics in Budapest, Hungary, and Split, Croatia, and earned her double major in just three years. She is actively involved in the Protective Order Project, serving as the first contact for potential clients seeking protective orders, and is a research assistant for Professional Charles Gardner.
The scholarships are one of the first such programs offered by Indiana law firms, demonstrating Baker & Daniels' ongoing commitment to attracting and retaining individuals with diverse backgrounds. The firm maintains an active diversity executive committee, which is responsible for various ongoing internal and external diversity and inclusion initiatives.