Shiloh Renes, a 2007 graduate of East Central University, has been named the recipient of a $15,000 Merit Scholarship from the Oklahoma City University School of Law for the 2008-09 school year.
She entered OCU's law school last fall.
"OCU makes many scholarships available for returning students in the top 10 percent of their class but very few were given out at the $15,000 level," said Dr. Christine Pappas, ECU associate professor of political science and Renes' adviser at ECU.
Renes, a native of Ada, was not planning on scholarship money.
"I didn't apply for it or anything," she said. "They just sent me a piece of paper to sign if I wanted it, and of course I did. It was really a surprise, like money from God."
In addition to the Merit Scholarship, Renes received the CALI Award in Torts for having the highest grade in the class and was named to the Dean's List and the Faculty Honor Roll.
She credited her experiences at ECU for her success in law school.
"I knew how to brief and read cases which gave me a real head start. You just cannot do this without a good strong foundation," she said.
At ECU, Renes was president of the Pi Sigma Alpha national political science honor society and attended the National Education for Women Leadership Institute at the University of Oklahoma.
"Shiloh always worked hard at ECU and I'm glad to see she learned the things that would help her succeed in her life beyond ECU. That's what we're all about," Pappas said.
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