The Lycoming Law Association Foundation has awarded three law students, Hannah Anderson, Eli Wilk and Abigail McCoy, the Joseph L. Rider Scholarship. The Foundation established the Scholarship Fund at the end of 2023 with the intent to annually award up to three $1,000 Scholarships to County Residents attending law school full time (scheduled to finish within 4 years) to assist with tuition or other law school-related expenses.
Hannah Anderson graduated from Montoursville Area High School in 2017, where she was an active participant in the school’s Mock Trial Team. After graduating from Saint Joseph’s University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Hannah interned at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium prior to commencing her law school studies at Temple University Beasley School of Law where she is going into her last academic year. During the summer of 2023, she interned for Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Brobson and is working for a criminal defense attorney in Philadelphia this summer.
Eli Wilk, a graduate of the Williamsport Area High School, graduated from the Honors History Department of Temple University. He is currently going into his second academic year at Drexel Kline School of Law where he was able to secure a position for the 2024-2025 school year representing clients in asylum and other immigration issues in the Immigration Court. Before resuming law school in the fall, Eli has been working as a Summer Clerk for Court of Common Pleas Judge Ryan Gardner.
Abigail McCoy, also a graduate of the Williamsport Area High School, graduated from Emory & Henry College in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a minor in mathematics. As a student at Emory & Henry College, she rode on the Equestrian Team and helped secure the 2019 and 2022 Team National Championship Titles. After graduating from college in 2022, Abigail joined the staff of Emory & Henry’s Equine Program as a visiting instructor of Equine Studies. Beginning in the fall of 2024, she will be attending the Franklin Pierce Law School, where she plans to study Sports and Entertainment Law.
The Lycoming Law Association Foundation named the Scholarship after Attorney Joseph L. Rider, a Williamsport native who practiced law for 58 years and who was highly regarded by the Lycoming County Court and his fellow practicing attorneys. He was also a founding member of the Foundation and a committed member thereof until his death in 2020. The Foundation aptly named the scholarship in his name as Attorney Rider exemplified the qualities of knowledge, expertise, collegiality and commitment-to-client of a great lawyer and the qualities of honesty, integrity, and kindness of a great man.
County Residents enrolled in law school must complete the Scholarship Application found at lycolaw.org which must be either mailed to the Lycoming Law Association Foundation, 25 West Third Street, Suite 803, Williamsport, PA 17701 or emailed to lla@lycolaw.org with the Subject Line “Scholarship Application”. The Foundation defines County Residents as those who graduated from a Lycoming County High School or who had otherwise resided in Lycoming County for at least seven years.
