The Impact of Scholarship Support: Helen Winters

While there are a number of reasons why Helen Winters, a current 3L, chose to attend Minnesota Law specifically, she lists scholarship support as the number one reason and deciding factor. Winters shares, “I am the first person in my family to attend law school, and I knew that I would not be able to afford law school without support. Due to COVID, I had little prospect of getting a job out of college, and so I chose to apply right away, meaning that I had no money from working to support me.”

Winters came to Minnesota Law with a passion for law. She felt drawn to the type of thinking that legal studies require, and the many ways the law impacts peoples’ lives. When Winters began her coursework, she was equally interested in policy and economics not knowing if she wanted a career in corporate law or the public interest field. Minnesota Law was the perfect fit because it allowed her the opportunity to explore both.

Winters expresses gratitude to the many alumni and friends who help make scholarship support possible for many students. “Thank you for allowing me to explore both my interest in public interest and corporate transactional work. As a 1L, I worked with the Minneapolis City Attorney, which is an unpaid position. Without scholarship support I would not have been able to consider unpaid work and would have missed out on this experience.” This exploration helped lead Winters to the next step in her career journey. Winters will be joining Winston & Strawn LLP in New York upon graduation as a corporate associate. 

Because Winters understands first-hand the importance of philanthropy, she chose to give her time and serve as a member of Minnesota Law’s Student Philanthropy Board. She hopes to educate and set an example for her fellow classmates. Winters explains, “Without carrying on the tradition of giving back, Minnesota Law would not be able to continue to recruit diverse students, and future students would not benefit from the same discussions that myself and my peers have benefited from.” Winters plans to do her part to pay it forward as an alumna, and also to carry out her philanthropic passions by serving the community through pro bono work throughout her career.

You can support students like Helen by making a gift to Law School scholarships.