An enduring commitment from Georgia State University College of Law donors continues to expand access and opportunity for students pursuing a future in the law. This academic year, 162 students received scholarships totaling approximately $400,000, reflecting the college’s ongoing focus on sustained support and long-term impact.
This commitment was on display at the annual Scholarship Donor and Recipient Recognition Luncheon, where students had the opportunity to thank their donors and reflect on the impact scholarships have in shaping their success.
A former student of the Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, Ernesto Perez (J.D. ’92) is now the global practice leader of Alvarez & Marsal Tax, LLC. He endowed the Perez Family Scholarship, which currently supports seven students with scholarship assistance.
While scholarships are beneficial for students, donors also reap the rewards. A former law student of the Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, Ernesto Perez (J.D. ’92) endowed the Perez Family Scholarship, which currently supports seven students with scholarship assistance. Perez, a global practice leader at Alvarez & Marsal Tax, LLC said philanthropy is not just about being generous, but it is a responsibility to pay forward the investment others have made in him.
“In our profession, we talk a lot about merit,” Perez said. “Hard work is absolutely the baseline, but it’s not the whole story.”
In addition to hard work, Perez acknowledged his good fortune to have mentors, professors and colleagues who invested in him throughout his career, inviting him into meaningful professional spaces and believing in his potential early on. “They invested their most valuable assets: their time, and their belief,” he said. “Scholarships are my way of keeping that investment compounding.”
Addressing the student recipients directly, Perez emphasized that scholarships are a reflection of confidence in their futures and encouraged them to pay it forward when they can.
“If you find yourself in a position to do the same, do it...” he said.
Jazmin Mejia (B.A. '20/J.D. '26) the 2025–2026 Student Bar Association president, spoke to attendees, emphasizing that the value of scholarships extends beyond financial relief.
Jazmin Mejia (B.A. ‘20 /J.D. ‘26), the 2025–2026 Student Bar Association president, spoke to attendees, emphasizing that the value of scholarships extends beyond financial relief.
“Scholarships do not just reduce tuition—they expand possibilities,” Mejia said. “Without scholarship support, I likely would not be standing here today as Student Bar Association President. My time and energy would have been redirected toward financial survival rather than student leadership, service, and academic growth.”
Mejia described sitting at her family’s kitchen table weighing the realities of law school costs. While she graduated debt-free from Georgia State as an undergraduate, law school presented new financial uncertainty.
“When I opened my Georgia State Law scholarship package and saw that I had received a tuition waiver and a first-year scholarship, the decision became clear,” she said. “Georgia State was not just the right academic choice. It was the smart choice.”
She explained what distinguishes Georgia State Law is scholarship support which often continues beyond the first year, adding stability that allows students to commit to leadership roles, participate in clinics and journals, and consider public interest and government work that might otherwise feel out of reach.
“Your belief in us sends a powerful message—that our work matters and that our future contributions to the legal profession are worth investing in,” Mejia said.