A Legacy of Generosity and the Power of Scholarship Support: Maysa Alqaisi
Maysa Alqaisi, a 2L at Minnesota Law, dreamed of becoming a lawyer and advocate from an early age. A first-generation law student and U.S. immigrant, she earned a degree in finance at the University of Texas-Austin. She got her first taste of Minnesota when she interned at Target corporate headquarters as an undergraduate and subsequently applied to Minnesota Law to pursue her goal of becoming a lawyer.
Alqaisi says she was drawn to Minnesota Law because of its high ranking, reputation, valued programs, and accomplished faculty, but the Bill Kampf Scholarship – A Commitment to Social Justice convinced her that Minnesota Law was the right place for her.
The Kampf Scholarship was established in memory of William I. Kampf ’67, who also served as an adjunct law professor, by his wife Janet Kampf, family, friends, and colleagues at the Minneapolis firm Henson & Efron. Those generous donors saw the importance of supporting new law students like Alqaisi who have a passion for service. Today, the Kampf Scholarship serves as a living legacy to a man whose professional life was committed to the development of a more just society.
When Alqaisi received this scholarship, she realized that she not only wanted Minnesota Law, but that Minnesota Law recognized her passion and believed in her abilities. “Reading the different testimonies of people who knew Professor Kampf, I have been moved by the stories of the inspiration he was to his students and colleagues,” says Alqaisi. “I am humbled and plan to honor his legacy with my legacy.”
As a Kampf Scholar, Alqaisi manages a full schedule of classes while immersing herself in numerous aspects of law school life. She has participated in the Asylum Law Project assisting clients with their immigration cases and appeals, worked in the Mankoff Tax Clinic, served as a research assistant for Professor Jon Lee, and is the current president of the Muslim Law Student Association.
Alqaisi plans to work with Kirkland & Ellis in Dallas the summer after her 2L year, using the skills she has learned at Minnesota Law to create positive change in her community.
“This scholarship enabled me to commit to an elite school like the University of Minnesota, and I am grateful for my donors who were holding the rope on the other end pulling me up to my success,”she says. “I cannot express how life-changing it is to be the recipient of such meaningful support towards my long-held dreams. I hope to pay it forward one day and carry on the legacy of giving back and empowering young students to accomplish their dreams in the legal world.”
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