On May 31st, our application portal closes – so if you, or a deserving woman you know, hope to be one of the recipients of one of our $1,000 scholarships for the 2023 Kristen D. Hofheimer Memorial Scholarship competition, you’ll want to apply straightaway!
The scholarship was named for our former managing partner, Kristen D. Hofheimer, who passed away at the age of 49 after a long struggle with breast cancer. We named the scholarship for her – even though, honestly, she’d probably have hated to have it feature her so prominently – because she exemplified our theme, “Straighten Those Crowns”. It’s also been a really wonderful way for us to keep her memory alive.
For me, Kristen was more than just a coworker. She was a mentor, and, later, a friend. She sat beside me at my first custody trial, jabbing me in the side to remind me to object. She was the first to jump up, cheering, and hug me when I found out I had passed the bar. We traveled together to a number of conferences, where we laughed ourselves silly and worked and brainstormed and dreamed for hours. She believed so deeply in the work we were doing, representing women only, and I was honored to be a part of it.
None of us ever dreamed we’d lose her so early, and it has been a real loss. It’s hard, even now, years later, to put that loss into words – so, although I still sometimes try to (like now), mostly I try to let the scholarship speak for itself. It’s a way to do good in the world and to remember Kristen which, as far as I’m concerned, is a win-win.
What do I need to do to apply?
To apply, you’ll need to fill out a short web form application, where you fill in some demographic information and complete a short personal statement about how you (or the woman you’re nominating) exemplifies our theme.
We’re not looking for the saddest story; quite the opposite, actually! We’re looking for exciting, positive, upbeat stories that talk about defying the odds, dominating a new field, or learning new skills. We want to hear about single moms who are supporting their kids, about non traditional students going back to school to achieve their goals, and about what these opportunities mean for women and their families.
You’re a family law firm. Do I have to be divorced or going through a custody case to apply?
No, no – no divorce or custody case is required to participate. At this time, though, the scholarship is not for high school seniors; we’re looking for non traditional students.
I’m not from Virginia. Is that okay?
At this time, the scholarship is only open to Virginia women.
How will you choose a winner?
It’s a three part process. First, you apply. Then, based on the strength of your application and your personal statement, we’ll select semi-finalists and ask them to provide a short video on the theme, “Straighten Those Crowns.” From those, we’ll select the best 3-6 applicants as finalists, and place them on our website. We’ll open the contest up for voting, and the top two who receive the most votes will win the scholarships.
Let us know if you have questions by sending an email to kcarter@hoflaw.com.
How does the voting process work?
You can come back each day and vote for your favorite candidate. One vote per person per day!
If you’re interested in applying for one of the two $1,000 scholarships (we may have a few other things up our sleeves, too, but I can’t disclose that yet), then please, please – apply! You can do so on the website at straightenthosecrowns.com.
For more information, to apply, or to schedule a consultation, give our office a call at 757-425-5200. Good luck!