Marshall-Motley Scholars Program’s Nick(i) Fury
This year on King Day, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund announced a new scholarship program for people want to practice Civil Rights law. It’s an exciting program to develop the next generation of Thurgood Marshalls and Constance Baker Motleys. Launched with a $40 million grant, the program provides free tuition, fees, room and board to ANY accredited law school, a 2 year fellowship post graduation, and support for 8 years after the fellowship while they practice Civil Rights law in the South.
A new program means they need to hire people. One of the people is Adria Kimbrough, who was Dillard’s pre-law advisor. Huge loss for us. The only consolation is knowing she will play a role in creating what I like to call the new Avengers for Civil Rights. That makes Adria their Nick Fury as she will lead the recruiting efforts.
Below is the announcement of the new hires:
On behalf of Isaacson, Miller and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., we are pleased to share that Jino P. Ray, J.D., and Adria Nobles Kimbrough, J.D., have been named respectively as director and student recruiting manager for LDF’s newly announced Marshall-Motley Scholars Program.
Named in honor of civil rights legends Thurgood Marshall — LDF’s founder and the nation’s first Black Supreme Court Justice — and Constance Baker Motley, former LDF attorney and the first Black woman to become a federal judge, the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program (MMSP) is an innovative educational and training opportunity that will produce the next generation of civil rights attorneys to serve Black communities in the South. As LDF celebrates its 80th anniversary year, the new scholarship and pipeline program builds upon its legacy of fighting for racial justice in America and producing leading advocates against racial injustice. This groundbreaking program will create pathways to leadership, self-sufficiency, and socio-economic progress, while developing individuals to become ambassadors and advocates for transformational change in Black communities. The MMSP is made possible by a generous anonymous donor who has committed to funding a program of 50 participants, which amounts to a $40 million investment in developing a new generation of civil rights lawyers in the South.
As director of the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program, Mr. Ray will lead the design and launch of the MMSP including building a program team, developing operational systems, processes and policies in support of the programmatic mission; as well as implementing long-term planning efforts geared toward the sustainability and longevity of the MMSP. A seasoned and accomplished law school admissions administrator, Mr. Ray previously served as associate dean of admission and financial aid at the University of The District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law. Previously, Mr. Ray held admissions leadership roles at Howard University School of Law and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Mr. Ray received a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University and a Juris Doctorate from the UDC David. A. Clarke School of Law.
Ms. Kimbrough joins Mr. Ray as student recruiting manager for the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program. In this critical role, Ms. Kimbrough will lead strategic outreach, marketing and recruitment efforts for the MMSP designed to identify and attract students that align with the mission and goals of the scholarship program. Ms. Kimbrough will serve as the primary point of contact for students as well as career services offices, diversity organizations, pre-law programs, law school career fairs, and other appropriate groups. A former litigator and higher education administrator, Ms. Kimbrough most recently served as Director of the LEAD Program, pre-law advisor, and mock trial team coach at Dillard University. She previously served as associate dean of students at Cornell University, university attorney at Albany State University, and associate general counsel for the University of Arkansas System, among other roles. Ms. Kimbrough received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Talladega College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.
The Prez
