At Marc Whitehead & Associates, our Houston disability lawyers believe that veterans and their families deserve extra recognition and support.
That’s why the firm debuted its Frances & Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship. The scholarship promises $5,000 to a veteran or child of a veteran intent on pursuing a higher education.
This year, the team with Marc Whitehead & Associates is delighted to award the 2025 Frances & Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship to Mah-Kayla Joseph. Mah-Kayla is a student at Louisiana State University, where she studies sociology as part of the 3+3 pre-law track.
Mah-Kayla’s scholarship essay stood out thanks to her long-lived commitment to community engagement as well as her desire to fight for justice on behalf of those in need.
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Growing Up in a Military Family
Mah-Kayla Joseph grew up as part of a military family. That background required her to move on a regular basis, rarely setting down roots for any considerable length of time.
Joseph learned quickly that she needed to be resilient and adaptable if she wanted to make the most out of her ever-changing academic situation.
“While this could have been seen as a challenge,” she says, “I have instead learned how to embrace it as an opportunity to grow. Moving frequently shaped me into a strong, independent young woman who welcomes change and faces challenges with determination.”
Joseph also notes that regularly moving encouraged her to think critically and compassionately about the cultural practices and perspectives of her communities.
That mindset drove her to participate in a number of community service and volunteer programs, including efforts to help integrate other military children into her school district via tours and direct support.
Learning to Adapt to a Broad World
Her consistent work with military families emphasized the importance of community to Joseph over and over again. She believes that everyone within a broader community deserves the chance to benefit from a hand up.
She took that mindset into event planning through her school’s student government, where she helped facilitate the development of a positive, inclusive space for her peers.
She believes that the lessons she learned about leadership, organization, and community management throughout this process will make her entry into the legal world all the simpler.
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Facilitating Community Engagement for Military Families
Joseph’s work extended far and wide, seeing her participate in student government, as well as programs specifically benefiting military children, like Student2Student. She also dedicated hundreds of community service hours to clubs like Mu Alpha Theta, volunteering to tutor her peers after school.
Joseph also made a point to make a hands-on impact with her community through programs like Wreaths Across America, which saw her help her peers facilitate and operate beach cleanups.
What to Expect From Mah-Kayla Joseph in the Future
Mah-Kayla Joseph is currently studying sociology on the 3+3 pre-law track at Louisiana State University. She hopes that her classes will prepare her to go to law school, after which she hopes to advocate for underrepresented communities as an attorney.
She makes it clear that receiving Marc Whitehead & Associates’ 2025 Frances & Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship will go a long way to alleviating her financial burden, making it easier for her to focus on the internships and extracurricular activities that may help her advance her education and career.
She intends, one day, to offer “legal services to those who cannot afford them” while facilitating “meaningful change in [the] justice system.”
She intends to continue reaching out to communities in need while also pursuing policy reforms and offering pro bono legal services.
About the Marc Whitehead & Associates’ 2025 Frances & Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship
Marc Whitehead & Associates believe that United States soldiers and their families deserve a leg up after the years of service they’ve provided for the country. The Veterans Scholarship is available to veterans themselves as well as their loved ones and children. All qualifying parties can apply for a chance to secure $5,000 in financial assistance while going to college.
Veterans and the children of veterans applying for the Frances & Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship must craft essays going into detail about their service and passions, as well as the specific qualities that they believe qualify them for the scholarship’s financial support.
The team also asks that applicants include the following with their applications:
- Proof of service in the armed forces, or a parent’s proof of service
- Proof of legal U.S. residency (driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, etc.)
- College Acceptance Letter – or – Current College ID
- Most recent transcript (college or high school)
Congratulations, Mah-Kayla!
Military families know how difficult it can be to forge a strong sense of community and ambition when dealing with frequent deployments and relocations. Fortunately, Mah-Kayla Joseph seems more than ready to take her future by the horns.
Her scholarship essay paints a picture of a young woman intent on making the world her oyster, first by completing her degree at Louisiana State University and then by pursuing a career in criminal justice.
Marc Whitehead & Associates is proud to offer her $5,000 to contribute toward her continuing education.
Students who want to apply for the 2026 Frances & Earl Perry Memorial Veterans Scholarship can check back for updates to the scholarship’s terms and conditions.
