Leila De Folo
My name is Leila De Folo and I am a 17-year-old, first-generation student majoring in
Political Science and Law, Societies, and Justice. I just finished my first year at UW with Dean’s
List standing and I already hold an associate’s degree from Cascadia College where I graduated
with President’s Honors. As a rising senior, I am 4 years ahead of my educational timeline and I
hope to pursue law school after my time at UW as my career goal is to become an attorney. My
academic interests center on human rights and public service, with this focus guiding much of
my coursework and continuing to shape my passion for legal studies.
Beyond academics, I am deeply involved in leadership and community oriented work. At
UW, I served in the Student Senate, was elected Judicial Committee Senate Liaison, earned a
position as the 2026-2027 Board of Directors Coordinator, and served as the Chief Legal Officer
for a student-led startup. These opportunities gave me the chance to grow my research skills,
strengthen my potential in the legal field, and be a leader who works towards creating an
environment where students can feel seen, supported, and empowered within the Husky
community. Overall, these experiences have solidified my belief that helping others through law
and policy is where I belong.
I am strongly motivated to work towards my academic and career goals. However,
financial burdens that my family has experienced this year due to unexpected medical costs
would have served as a barrier to this. These circumstances motivated me to apply for this
scholarship and, as a 17-year-old finding myself with the responsibility of financing my
undergraduate education alone, winning this scholarship is a lifeline. This scholarship will allow
me to work towards graduating next year and being ready to start strong in law school next fall
Tips
I would recommend that students consistently check the OMSFA scholarship database because that is how I often find scholarships that I did not know about. The database has helped me find scholarships that I would have otherwise missed out on applying for because I did not know they existed.
