Nasya Bellard Receives 2024 “The Child of an American Veteran” Scholarship

Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD (CCK Law) recently announced that it will help one undergraduate student pay a portion of their academic fees ahead of the 2024/2025 academic year. Hundreds of applicants applied for the firm’s “The Child of an American Veteran” Scholarship, but it was Nasya Bellard of Cox Mill High School who stood out from the crowd.

Bellard’s scholarship essay displays a masterful grasp of language as well as a dedication to relentless hard work. She eloquently describes a desire for knowledge built on generations of perseverance. The team with CCK Law is proud to help her honor that legacy as she pursues her academic goals.

Getting to Know Nasya Bellard

Bellard introduces her family with an eloquence often unseen in high school seniors:

“The lucky number four. The number that has hung over me with such gravity since childhood. Three generations. Three chances. All leading to me – lucky number four. Since I can remember, my life has been painted with the blue and white colors of the Navy.”

This sharp turn of phrase allows Bellard to go into detail about how the three generations of naval veterans who came before her have allowed her to pursue her academic goals with unfettered enthusiasm. She addresses the financial obstacles that kept her loved ones away from college and speaks with pride about the opportunities she has thanks to their sacrifices.

Making the Most Out of Her Future

After graduating from Cox Mills High School in May 2024, Bellard will join her fellow Oranges at Syracuse University. She intends to major in political science and take additional classes so that she can graduate from her program early.

“I, generation four, am steadfast in pursuing this opportunity that has never been afforded to the generations before me,” she writes. “I will use my military upbringing to mold my aspirations into a beacon of light for me, my family, and society.”

Belland has shown this dedication to the people around her already. Not only is she a stand-out student at Cox Mill High School, but she’s also the founder of a body positivity club. Her service in this position and as secretary of Beta Club both allow her to advocate for parties in need of support on a communal and systemic level.

Breaking Barriers in the Field of Law

Bellard’s dreams don’t stop with her study of political science. She’s straightforward about her plans to join the 4.5 percent of African American lawyers currently practicing in the United States. After she graduates from Syracuse University, she intends to pursue her law degree and specialize in real estate law.

“This sector is perfect for someone like myself that is organized and thrives off of social interaction,” she says. “I am excited to learn more about the connection that politics has with certain sectors, such as the inflated housing market.” She hopes to use the knowledge wrought from her study of politics and law to have a positive impact on the world around her.

Bringing Her Work Back Home

Bellard doesn’t intend to confine her expertise to the study of law. In light of her family’s long commitment to the military, she hopes to open a non-profit housing center for retired veterans.

“No one [who] has served our country should sleep on the streets,” her essay notes. It’s easy to imagine Bellard’s passion for real estate law and local politics serving her well as she fights to uplift veterans like her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

About The Child of an American Veteran Scholarship

Students interested in applying for CCK Law’s “The Child of an American Veteran” Scholarship must meet the following criteria to qualify for the scholarship’s $1,500 in financial aid:

• Applicants must be the legal child (natural or adoptive) of a veteran in any branch of the United States military (U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard)
• Applicants must be either a high school senior or a student currently attending an accredited community college or university

This scholarship is not open to graduate students at this time. All applicants must complete the scholarship application form available on CCK Law’s website and provide the firm with evidence of a parent’s veteran status. Examples of acceptable forms of proof can include a parent’s redacted VA disability benefits summary, DD214, or military discharge certificate.

Students also have an obligation to complete a 500-word essay going into detail about how growing up in a military family inspired their career goals. CCK Law’s scholarship selection committee encourages applicants to think about what advice they would give their younger selves as well as the most important steps communities can take to support their veterans.

Make Sure to Submit Your Scholarship on Time!

Students must submit their completed scholarship applications, including their essays, by the scholarship’s deadline if they want CCK Law to consider their materials. The firm will not accept incomplete applications or applications submitted after the scholarship’s closing deadline.

CCK Law Encourages Students to Apply for Financial Support Ahead of the 2024/2025 Academic Year

CCK Law wants students in all fields of study to have the financial assistance they need to pursue their goals with as little stress as possible. This year, the team is proud to help a student as accomplished as Nasya Bellard chase her dreams at Syracuse University. We applaud her commitment to her education as well as the intelligence she already possesses.

Students interested in applying for CCK Law’s  “The Child of an American Veteran” Scholarship can keep an eye out for new scholarship developments on CCK Law’s website. Our scholarship selection committee looks forward to reading through 2024/2025’s scholarship applications ahead of the coming academic year.