Vanderbilt's Chris Guthrie Is Sixth Law School Dean To Give At Least $100,000 To Students

Chris Guthrie, Vanderbilt Dean and John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law, and his partner Tracey George, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, Charles B. Cox III and Lucy D. Cox Family Chair in Law and Liberty, and Professor of Political Science, have pledged $100,000 to establish a need-based scholarship in honor of the first African-American men and first African-American woman to graduate from Vanderbilt Law School:

The Harris, Porter & Work Scholarship will recognize Janie Greenwood Harris (LLB ’64), Edward Melvin Porter (LLB ’59) and Frederick Taylor Work, Sr. (LLB ’59), and support students with a demonstrated commitment to civil rights. ...

“We have had the privilege of meeting Janie, Melvin and Fred,” Guthrie explained. “We are in awe of their courage, accomplishments and grace. They make us so proud to be a part of the Vanderbilt Law School community, and we are excited and humbled to be able to recognize them with a scholarship named in their honor.”

This is the second need-based scholarship that George and Guthrie have endowed at the law school. “We are committed to doing what we can to ensure that talented students, regardless of need, are able to study at our law school  because we believe in the power of a Vanderbilt legal education to make a difference,” Guthrie said.

George and Guthrie have also made a gift of $25,000 to support current student initiatives to address issues of racial injustice.

“We wanted to endow a scholarship for its longer-term impact,” explained George.  “But we also wanted to support current students seeking to implement projects and programs designed to make a difference today.  We are excited to see what our students develop.”

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

• Penn State Dickinson Law Dean Danielle Conway Makes $125,000 Gift For Student Aid During COVID-19 (Aug. 5, 2020)
• Pepperdine Caruso Dean Follows Lead Of Penn State Dickinson Dean In Giving $125,000 To Help Law Students With Emergency Needs (Aug. 11, 2020)
• Deans Double As Donors (Aug. 18, 2020)
• FIU's Antony Page Is Third Law School Dean To Make Major Gift To Students During COVID-19 (Aug. 21, 2020)
• Inspired By Penn State Dickinson Dean, Faculty And Staff Give $27,000 For Law Students (Aug. 26, 2020)
• More Dean Generosity: Who Will Be Next? (Aug. 27, 2020)
• University Of Florida's Laura Rosenbury Is Fourth Law School Dean ($100,000), Neil Buchanan Is Second Tax Prof ($25,001) To Make Major Gifts To Students During COVID-19 (Sept. 2, 2020)
• Arizona State Law Faculty And Staff Have Given $5 Million For Students Over Past Decade (Sept. 15, 2020)
• Yet Another Generous Dean: Laura Rosenbury (Sept. 22, 2020)
• Miami's Tony Varona Is Fifth Law School Dean To Give At Least $100,000 To Students (Oct. 6, 2020)