Windsor Law student Jackie Eboh is a 2021 recipient of the Athena Scholarship, the Windsor Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce announced this week. This scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate excellent academic achievement while holding an interest in increasing leadership opportunities for women and enhancing the quality of life in the community.

Entering her third year of law school this fall, Eboh will focus her career on advocating for the rights of Black women, sexual violence survivors, and women in the legal field.

“This award means support in the continued pursuit of equality for women and girls as it pertains to the law,” she said. “I hope to increase leadership opportunities for women and enhance their quality of life by teaching the law, to equip women and girls with knowledge of a law that once upon a time did not recognize them as persons. I believe an effective course of action is through education and advocacy.”

The Athena Scholarship Program was created in 1999 for full-time post-secondary students between 18 and 30 years old. A total of four scholarships of $5,000 each are awarded yearly to a Windsor Law student, a University of Windsor student, a St. Clair College student, and a student who is attending any college or university provided they have spent a significant period of time in Windsor-Essex County.

This year’s other UWindsor representative is Anumita Jain, a student of integrative biology.

Since 2001, the Athena committee has hosted a luncheon to honour the scholarship recipients, acknowledge its sponsors, and feature a speaker of influence who exemplifies its values. This year’s luncheon — with a keynote address by UWindsor chancellor Mary Jo Haddad — is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 18, at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts.

For more information about the Athena Awards program, visit the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce website.

—Cristina Mackenzie