Roots and Routes Scholarship

This scholarship is designed to support students who are either immigrants themselves or come from immigrant families. We invite applicants to share their unique immigration stories. How did your family come to the United States? What challenges did you or your family face during the immigration process or in becoming American citizens? How has this experience impacted your life or the lives of your family members?

In addition to highlighting personal stories, we encourage applicants to reflect on the broader significance of immigration and how it shapes communities and enriches American society. The Roots and Routes Scholarship aims to celebrate the resilience and determination of immigrants and their families, and to provide financial assistance to those pursuing their educational goals. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2025. We look forward to hearing your inspiring stories and supporting your academic journey.

Eligibility

• Any current high school senior, vocational student, college student, or graduate student who is enrolled in a two- or four-year post-secondary institution for the fall semester is eligible to apply for the scholarship.
• The Law Office of Eric M. Mark employees, members of their immediate families (parent, child, sibling, and spouse), and those residing in the same home as these individuals—regardless of relationship—are not permitted to enter the competition.
• Applicants for this scholarship must be in good overall academic standing and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Application Requirements

• The candidate must fill out the form below with all necessary information
• The candidate must submit a 500-750 word essay response to the prompt:
  • Tell us about your family history and how your family immigrated to the United States. What new difficulties did you or your family face during the process of becoming an American citizen?
  • Please note that all essays will be checked for AI writing. If AI writing is deemed present in the essay, the application will be denied.
• The candidate must provide a professional resumé detailing their professional and academic experiences.
• The candidate must provide a transcript from their current school. First-year college students, graduate students, or those who have just moved institutions may submit both an unofficial transcript from their present school and the most recent official transcript from their previous school. High school students should provide documentation of admittance to their college or institution.
• Students from or already attending secondary school in New Jersey may be granted preference.