2021 Power of Resilience Scholarship Winner Abigail Hall

A Howard University Capstone Scholar who obtained a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science within the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, Abigail Hall is a proud first-generation American citizen and proven leader. Committed to academic excellence, Hall was named to the Dean’s list for the academic year 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. She was also the recipient of the Jeanne Linden Cobb Association of Realtors Scholarship and Jamaican Howard Affinity Network Scholarship. After graduating summa cum laude in May 2021, Hall entered Harvard Law School with hopes to become a Federal Judge.

With a passion for social justice, equality, civil rights, and the uplift of underrepresented populations, Abigail Hall is an experienced political scientist. She has demonstrated a history of working within civic and social organizations, public policy and service, government affairs, and legal enterprise. Having interned during each consecutive semester while attending Howard University in Washington, D.C., she successfully completed internships with the Congressional Black Caucus, White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Executive Office, Office of the Attorney General for D.C., the Federal Judicial Center, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, and most recently the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. Additionally, as a faithful public servant, Hall volunteers frequently as a Team Lead with 7 Bridges to Recovery Homeless Ministry, Howard University Day of Service, and as a Debate Judge with the Washington Urban Debate League.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, Hall served as a Senator within the Howard University Student Association (HUSA) Senate, where she represented and advocated on behalf of the needs of 2,700 students within the College of Arts and Sciences. Within the HUSA Senate, Hall was named Chair of the Finance Committee, where she amplified and emphasized integrity, transparency, and modernization. As Chair, Hall was responsible for the oversight of the allocations for the HUSA Senate budget and university-wide Student Activity Fee, which totals an estimated $1,250,000 at the beginning of each academic year. Hall is a proud member of the Alpha Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; Howard University’s Student Ambassador Program, facilitated by the University’s Office of Admissions; the Young AfricanA Leadership Initiative; Caribbean Students Association; and the Freshman Leadership Academy.

Abigail is currently attending Harvard Law School.

The Conclusion of Abigail’s Winning Essay

I still have faith in America’s potential to fulfill its promise. By studying law and using my knowledge to uplift the marginalized, I take an immediate step in my life’s mission to pay forward the sacrifices of my mother, immigrants, and Black Americans. My past informs my present and this understanding sensitizes me to the immense privilege and responsibility that attending law school provides. Prepared with an empathetic and keen sense of the practical implications of the law, it is an academic space that will expand my intellectual framework and nurture my passion for change-agency through a high-level of academic thought and a robust campus community. For me, the opportunity to obtain a legal education is a band-aid of hope. It is a chance to meet this critical moment in history; garnering the strength of legal education to alleviate the burdens of the marginalized and create an accessible and achievable American dream.

The law and legal careers are unique in that they present the opportunity for an individual to act as a social engineer for equality, and improvement of the lives of those less fortunate. I plan to become a public interest attorney, and ultimately a Federal Judge. I hope to be a lifetime advocate for immigrant’s rights, civil rights, and social justice. In addition, publicly succeeding as a black woman will redefine traditional models and societal structures, thus breaking barriers for women and minorities to bridge the gap in the legal profession. This understanding paired with my personal background catalyzes my interest in pursuing a career in law. My motivation, and will to persist in my studies against all odds stems from my personal commitment to make something out of my mother’s nothing. Regardless of current circumstances, my mother has always taught me to hope. Her relentlessness and resilience have become integrated in my identity. As the first in my family to pursue a college-level education, I will pay my immigrant mother’s sacrifice forward by improving the lives of others through legal representation advocacy.