Keana Powers is a CLP Alum and the most recent recipient of the Bob & Marilyn Ridgley Scholarship. She participated in Mock Trial her junior and senior year of high school, winning Regionals her senior year.
Mock Trial piqued her interest in legal and law-related fields, which led to her current major. We caught up with Keana to hear about her first semester at Oregon State University as a Sociology major, and her experience with Mock Trial and Civics Learning Project.
Tell us about your experience with Civics Learning Project.
I participated in the Mock Trial program my junior and senior years. Senior year I was co-captain of the team with my friend Andrea, and we ended up winning regionals and went onto state! This was such a fun team bonding and learning experience.
Where are you currently studying?
I’m working towards my Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with a focus in Crime and Justice at Oregon State University.
Did your experiences with CLP as a student encourage this path?
I knew I was interested in Public Policy and Crime and Justice, but having the experience of Mock Trial definitely heightened my interest in law and opened my eyes to the possible fields.
How did the skills you learned through Mock Trial help you in your first term of college?
Having background knowledge of the criminal justice system was extremely helpful for my Crime and Sociology classes. I was also able to dive right into Mock Trial at the college level without feeling overwhelmed.
How has winning the Ridgley Scholarship affected you and your family’s lives?
Receiving the Ridgley Scholarship was such an incredible surprise, and is a huge financial help to my family and me, as it’s the most generous scholarship I applied for. I’m so grateful to Bob and Marilyn Ridgley and encourage every student in a Civics Learning Project program to apply for the scholarship even if you don’t think you’ll win.
What’s your favorite thing about CLP?
Civics Learning Project has incredible connections to all of our communities, giving the opportunity for students to interact and perform in front of judges and lawyers, something you wouldn’t be able to experience anywhere else.
What do you have coming up in the new year/next semester?
Classes will sadly still be online, however starting in winter term the OSU Mock Trial Team will start competing in Zoom tournaments and eventually regionals, and I’m excited to see what that will look like.