About the SOAR Scholarship

LOAR PLLC is a fast-growing, woman-owned, personal injury law firm serving clients from coast to coast. The launch of the firm was made possible with the support of a strong community including my family, my friends, and an amazing network of professional women. As I reflect on my academic and professional experiences, I appreciate the women mentors who have helped me navigate the unique challenges women may face in achieving their goals. As a mother of a blended family with children ages 13 to 21, I also understand the responsibility we have to invest in the next generation and serve as positive role models.

We launched SOAR, a nonprofit scholarship foundation, to provide $100K in annual college scholarships to 20 outstanding female students who are the future leaders of their schools, communities, and businesses. SOAR selects young women who are the first in their family to pursue higher education or who have overcome significant challenges. The scholarship program goes beyond financial resources by giving access to professional development and mentoring resources for these women as they go through school. As new scholarship recipients are chosen each year, previous recipients will be invited to continue participating in SOAR activities. Ongoing participants will be able to pay it forward by providing mentorship to the new recipients and continue to benefit from the ongoing relationships these circles will build.

LOAR PLLC announced the recipients of the 2024- 2025 SOAR Scholarships last April celebrating 23 remarkable women who each received a $5,000 scholarship and will be provided professional development and mentoring throughout their college or graduate school experience. The recipients were honored at LOAR’s Summer Celebration on June 8, 2024. With this announcement, LOAR PLLC is proud of the over $250,000 in scholarships awarded in the three years of the SOAR Scholarship Foundation and is grateful for the opportunity to support and mentor these future leaders.

Full bios of this year's winners can be found at SOAR Scholars.

- Amber Russell, Founder of LOAR PLLC

SOAR Texas, a 501 (c) (3) non profit, seeks to mentor and support ‘first females,’ those young women who are the first in their family to pursue higher education or who have had to overcome significant challenges. Our goal is to provide scholarships opportunities and ongoing mentorship and relationship building.

It is not enough for us to celebrate current successes. We have to reach out to the next generation to help more women reach their potential because we believe that First Females will go on to do great things, and they will pay that forward to others that are reaching up.

The Scholarship and Mentoring Groups

Twenty students will be selected each year to receive a scholarship totaling $5,000. SOAR Scholars are eligible to reapply each year they meet all of the eligibility requirements. The recipient will also be invited to join a mentorship group. The groups will have two meetings a year (for which attendance is strongly urged, but not required), and several optional meetings throughout the year either in person or virtually, depending on location of the members. Our goal is that as new scholarship recipients are chosen each year, previous recipients will continue with their group. They will provide mentorship to the new recipients and continue to benefit from the ongoing relationships these circles will build.

Eligibility Requirements

Women who are first-generation college or graduate students or have overcome significant challenges/obstacles on their educational journey.
Enrolled full-time or accepted to begin full-time in the fall of 2025 at an accredited 4-year university or graduate program in the United States.
Current cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Demonstrate leadership abilities.
Demonstrate good moral character in all aspects of your life, including personal, professional, educational, in your community, and online presence.
Applications are then reviewed by our scholarship committee, who consider family background, academic achievement, involvement in extracurricular activities, community volunteer work, church service or work-employment; and strength of essays. The committee will pick finalists to present to the Board, and the Board will vote to pick the winners.

Application

This application opens December 14, 2024 and closes March 10, 2025 12:00 p.m. (Noon) CST. All applications and required documents (proof of acceptance or enrollment at one of the applicable universities, school transcript, and a recommendation letter) must be submitted online or received in our Austin office (6101 W Courtyard Dr., 1-150, Austin, TX 78730) before March 10, 2025 12:00 p.m. (Noon) CST. Scholarship recipients will be notified by April 15, 2025, and invited to an event to recognize their achievement (in person or virtually) at Summer Celebration in June 2025.

The scholarship funds will be made payable to the accredited university of the recipient’s choice and can be applied for tuition, room and board, or other educational expense through the university.