There was nothing Melvin R. Mooty ’51 valued more than his family, although the law came close. Before his death in 2012, Melvin and his wife, Sally, who died in 2020, established the Melvin R. Mooty Scholarship Fund. Their family, including his son, Paul Mooty, and daughter, Mary Kileen, continues to support the fund.
“Being able to have the scholarship is so meaningful to all of us,” says Paul Mooty ’85, who earned a B.S. in 1982 from the Carlson School of Management before coming to the Law School. “What’s great is that he knew it was there before he died. He was very humble, not someone who wanted recognition. But being able to provide scholarships, help people get a legal education, and then go out into the world was something he was very proud of.”
For more than 50 years, Melvin and his late brother, John Mooty ’44, practiced corporate law together. Beyond the firm, Melvin gave back through civic leadership, including serving as the president of the Courage Center (now known as the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute) board. He and Sally also created the Mooty Scholarship for People with Disabilities.
“My dad’s life was practicing law,” says Paul, former chairman of Faribault Woolen Mill Company. “He was a mentor to me—his high values, integrity, and doing things in an honest, kind, and thoughtful way.”
Paul’s wife, Jean Mooty B.S. ’83, adds, “Not only was he an amazing lawyer, but Sally told me once that he was always home for dinner. His family always came first.”
Paul, who says he was blessed with a father who cared deeply for people and the community, also realizes that tuition is a massive barrier for students these days.
“It’s great for me to see my dad’s name there and to see students benefiting from these scholarships,” he says. “It’s not as easy financially to just decide to go to law school now. It’s a whole different ball game than when my dad and I were students.”
For Kj Kim ’27, the scholarship was a beacon of hope. Without it, the financial impact of law school would have been overwhelming.
“When I was accepted to Minnesota Law and got the Mooty Scholarship, it felt like the gates parted and the heavens opened up,” says Kim, an Ohio native. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.”
With an undergraduate degree in agriculture, Kim has worked with environmental advocacy groups, consulted with farmers, and supported farm workers. With a law degree, he hopes to pursue a range of experiences, including clerkships, corporate law, and government work serving the community.
“Getting accepted to Law School and being awarded the scholarship was, in a sense, telling me that I was wanted, I was welcomed, and this is where you belong,” he says. “I can’t imagine my life if I had not come to Minnesota.”
For Eliza Schueneman ’26, the Mooty Scholarship provided the financial freedom to focus solely on academics, rather than juggling a job to cover expenses.
“It’s an investment that shows me Minnesota Law believes in me enough to give me the gift of time,” says Schueneman, who grew up in North Dakota. Her dedication to school has paid off: Schueneman, who is the student director of the Business Law Clinic, has accepted a post-graduation position with the Corporate and Transactions practice group at Winthrop & Weinstine.
Her scholarship experience has inspired her to pay it forward in the future.
“The scholarships that alumni are funding show that they love the school, they want to give back to future students, and they want to alleviate any barriers that may interfere with someone’s decision to go to law school,” she says. “Now that I know what it means to have been helped this way, I’m looking forward to when I’m able to give back to a law student who is in a similar situation to mine.”