The Cyberbullying Awareness Scholarship Winners

2022 Winner: Joseph Leckie

About Joseph: This fall, I will be attending the University of Michigan for electrical engineering. I love learning, particularly about scientific and social issues. Outside of engineering, I am interested in psychology, sociology, law, politics, and philosophy. In my free time, I enjoy weightlifting, hiking, reading, public service, and hanging out with friends. I work as a head lifeguard during the summer, and I am currently serving on my city’s transportation commission. Long-term, I’m interested in advanced nuclear reactor design, particularly with respect to safety and environmental friendliness, as well as ensuring energy security for future generations.

Reaction Statement: “I was so excited to hear I had won the 2022 Cyberbullying Awareness Scholarship, and I am incredibly grateful to McCready Law. With the rising cost of college, it is scholarships like these that give many of us the chance to pursue our dreams in higher education. Writing this essay challenged me to really think about how cyberbullying has affected myself and those around me, as well as about the fundamental issues that are driving it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you McCready Law!”

2021 Winner: Natalia Capella

About Natalia: I am currently studying mechanical and biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. As much as I am fascinated by the complex mathematics and sciences that govern the world around us, I also spend much of my time exploring more artistic endeavors such as painting, sewing, gardening, and cooking new cuisines. Much of the food I cook or the clothes I sew are inspired by my family’s Argentinian culture. While I currently live in Tennessee to attend school, I grew up in Philadelphia, and hope to move to San Francisco to work at an innovative tech company.

Reaction Statement: “I am so incredibly grateful to be the winner of the 2021 Cyberbullying Awareness Scholarship. While this scholarship provided a fantastic opportunity to fund my education, it also challenged me to learn more about cyberbullying. This essay prompted me to consider how technology can be made safer for those using it and also how I can play a part in preventing cyberbullying. Thank you for this scholarship, McCready Law. You are actively helping build a better future for generations to come!”

Honorable Mention to the other Top 10 applicants for the 2021 Cyberbullying Awareness Scholarship:

• Christian Acosta
• DaeQuon J. Shines
• Hita Rajesh
• Jonathen Cieszko
• Lauren Imbriano
• Minjae Kim
• Olivia Fox
• Shih Han Kuo
• Stephen Linn

2020 Winner: Skylar Young

About Skylar: I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois but have since lived in Rome, Washington D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and most recently Omaha, Nebraska. I am a rising third year law student at UIC John Marshall law school in Chicago, Illinois. Before I began my law journey, I served as a high school teacher through a program called Teach For America for three years. I am passionate about privacy law, data governance & cybersecurity, and more broadly legal innovation with respect to AI and blockchain.

Skylar’s Reaction: “As both a former teacher and a future lawyer, winning this scholarship was so meaningful. I got the call on a Friday afternoon and remember exclaiming “this news made my week!” Winning this scholarship is an important moment in my trajectory as a future lawyer. I can turn to this moment to remind myself that I have an ongoing responsibility to advocate for specific legislation at both the state and federal level that is specifically geared towards cyberbullying and cyberharassment. I am so grateful for McCready Law’s Cyberbullying Awareness Scholarship!”

2019 Winner: Alice Bai

About Alice: Alice is from Atlanta, Georgia and will be attending Brown University in fall 2019. Throughout high school, she enjoyed volunteering with several service organizations, including National Honors Society and Interact Club. She also served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of her high school newspaper and played violin in several orchestral ensembles. In her free time, she enjoys reading, travelling, and practicing her German skills. She hopes to continue pursuing these interests in college, alongside her studies in science.

Alice’s Reaction: “More than anything else, I’m so excited to find out that I’m receiving this scholarship, and incredibly grateful to McCready Law for offering this award in the first place! It’s an enormous relief to know that instead of worrying about cost, I’ll be better able to focus on the opportunities and experiences for learning that college brings with it. I am truly ecstatic to be this year’s scholarship recipient and cannot say thank you enough! I look forward to continuing to work on building positive, supportive communities that empower people to stand up against cyberbullying.”