Black students attending Cumberland School of Law now have an additional opportunity to receive financial support for their legal education, thanks to the Alabama Power Foundation.

The newly created Alabama Power Foundation Annual Scholarship is designed to assist Black students with the goal of increasing diversity in the legal profession.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to upcoming second- and/ or third-year law students who have demonstrated financial need. Recipients will be selected by the dean of the law school based on criteria that also include proven academic achievement and leadership. Students attending Cumberland through the newly established 3+3 accelerated degree program with Tuskegee University will also be eligible for consideration.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Alabama Power Foundation,” said Corky Strickland, dean of Cumberland School of Law. “This partnership is another step toward the imperative goal of

advancing diversity within the law school and, ultimately, throughout the legal profession.”

The Alabama Power Foundation is placing greater emphasis on efforts to advance social justice and equity, including a focus on education initiatives. These include directing more resources toward minority student achievement in Alabama, in partnership with educational institutions, nonprofits and other organizations.

“This scholarship is a collaborative partnership with Cumberland to help advance our mutual goal of expanding the number of Blacks practicing law in our state,” said Tequila Smith, vice president of

Charitable Giving at Alabama Power and president of the Alabama Power Foundation. “We hope this scholarship will also lead to a more vigorous discussion around criminal justice reform, by attracting a greater diversity of voices to the legal profession in Alabama,” Smith said.

This scholarship supporting Cumberland School of Law is just one of numerous efforts backed by the Alabama Power Foundation across Samford University’s campus.