Alumni Scholarships

Alumni Scholarships

Alumni Scholarships are administered and awarded by the Western State College of Law Experiential Learning Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

To learn more about supporting Western State students or establishing your own named scholarship, please reach out to:

RJ Espinoza
Assistant Dean,
Alumni Relations & Marketing
(714) 459-1261
respinoza@wsulaw.edu

The William and Susan Shapiro Scholarship

Scholarship Amount: Two Annual $5,000 Scholarships

Established by renowned trial attorney William D. Shapiro (Class of 1978, Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award) and Susan Shapiro to assist students at Western State with realizing their career aspirations.

About William D. Shapiro: William D. Shapiro, Western State Class of 1978, founded William D. Shapiro Law, Inc. in 1984. He is a former President of the San Bernardino County Bar Association and the Inland Empire chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is the current Vice President of The National American Board of Trial Advocates. Shapiro takes an avid interest in the sound and thorough education of tomorrow’s lawyers.

The Hessam Zand “I Love You 3,000” Scholarship

Scholarship Amount: $3,000

Established by Amir K. Nevis (Class of 2020) and Hiva Bana (Class of 2022) of The Injury Firm, APC, this scholarship is a moving tribute to their dear friend, Hessam Zand, an avid Iron Man fan, who passed away before he could fulfill his dream of attending law school.

This award is designed for an incoming student who embodies "superhero" qualities, not just in the classroom, but in their character. Recipients of this scholarship will have demonstrated resilience, proven leadership, and have a profound commitment to helping others. By supporting those with demonstrated financial need, Hiva and Amir aim to help a new advocate begin the journey that Hessam was unable to start.