Sumsion Business Law recently announced the creation of their annual Live Like Alex Scholarship. If you’re reading this page you are likely considering applying for the scholarship and are wondering how you can have the most success in your application. Our first piece of advice would be to choose an application option that you will be most successful at. If you will be more successful making a video than writing an essay then do that! We will have another blog coming soon on how to create a good scholarship video that can help you with that option. But if you choose to write an essay here are a few things to consider:
1. Choosing a Prompt
Read each prompt carefully before deciding which you want to write about. Neither prompt is better than the other, but your life experiences may lend themselves more naturally to one. The two writing prompts for 2025 are:
If you have read the prompts and are still struggling to choose one to answer in your essay it can be helpful to brainstorm experiences and possible answers to each question.
For Prompt 1 brainstorm a list of challenges you see in your community or industry and see if any inspire you to write.
For Prompt 2 think about times you or others have shown integrity and service and write down a few examples.
Once you have brainstormed for both, select the prompt that you think will be the most compelling and that you can write about well.
2. Fully Answer the Prompt
Now that you have selected a prompt, take time to read it carefully— then read it again. Each prompt for the Live Like Alex Scholarship has multiple parts, and your essay should reflect this by fully addressing every aspect of the question.
After writing your essay, read back through it with the prompt in hand. Ask yourself each part of the question again, and check that you answered each part thoroughly and completely. As you are answering the prompt make sure you are answering truthfully based on your own experiences as well. Don’t write what you think we want to hear because what we want to hear is your personal experience and opinions. Write an essay that no one else could write because they don’t live the same life as you!
3. Research
For the Live Like Alex Scholarship a few of the prompts ask how you live by the same principles Alex did. In order to answer this question, you will need to take time to do some research. We would suggest reading the scholarship page, blog posts, and looking at our social media to learn more about Alex’s life and values.
Be aware of your audience as you write. The Live Like Alex Scholarship is sponsored by Sumsion Business Law, so your readers are the lawyers and paralegals who work here. Research Sumsion Business Law’s mission and values, keep your audience in mind as you write, and consider how your essay can connect with them.
4. Be Concise
It can be tempting to think that writing more will make you scholarship essays better, but oftentimes the opposite is true. Make sure your essay falls within the word limit given. If it goes over it may be disqualified.
In addition, make sure you are clear and concise with your writing. Read through your paper and make sure you are not being repetitive and make sure that each of your sentences has a purpose within your paper. If the sentence does not have a purpose, it can be deleted.
Conclusion
Writing a good scholarship essay takes time and practice. Your essay should be personal while also fully answering the prompt you choose. Take time before writing to research both the history of the scholarship and Sumsion Business Law. For 2025, all scholarship submissions are due June 30th. If you have questions about the scholarship, email scholarship@businesslawutah.com.