UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Eric Young, a 1980 Penn State graduate, has made a $50,000 commitment to endow the Eric Young Military Law Student Scholarship to benefit those who served in the military and are now students at Penn State Law in University Park. Veterans from any branch of the Armed Forces who served on active duty or left under honorable or general discharge and are, or plan to be, full-time students at Penn State are eligible for this scholarship.
“I know this will serve a good purpose and that it’s going to help people. It’s worth it because it can improve someone’s quality of life while at law school,” said Young, who received his law degree in 1983 from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University. For the past decade, Young has worked as senior counsel with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Young’s vision for the scholarship goes beyond providing financial support for a law student. He said he hopes scholarship recipients will go on to make a difference with their law degree.
“I hope that someday there will be some Marine, soldier or sailor who will do a good thing for our country, like leading a litigation case that will change policy and help people,” he said.
Retired Vice Admiral James W. Houck, interim dean of Penn State Law and the School of International Affairs, said, “Eric’s generous gift will provide peace of mind to our veteran law student recipients. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support our students who served in the military.”
Young has a distinguished career in the U.S. armed forces, both as a service member and as a civilian, as well as in the U.S. government. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for over a decade, worked as a claims and litigation attorney for the U.S. Army, and was also a senior claims and litigation counsel for the U.S. Coast Guard. Young’s experience also reaches the Department of Education, where he served as senior litigation counsel. Young was a special assistant attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s office. Many of his family members, including his grandfather, father and siblings, have served in the armed forces as well.
“Service to others is invaluable,” said Young. “Human beings need other human beings in their life, and we’re social creatures. I hope I can be an example of helping us take care of each other, and I made this contribution so those who have used up their GI bill, those who have completed their undergraduate degree but want to go on into law school, can maybe go back to the military as attorneys, or be in private practice. This is a way that we can help those veterans continue their careers and give them a taste of Penn State.”
Young described how those who served in the military gain a unique skillset and perspective that makes them well-suited to the legal profession.
“When you go through boot camp, officer candidate school, and your career, you go through a crucible. You’re constantly challenged. We make people change duty stations every three years. You have to reinvent yourself. You can never stagnate or get comfortable. We tend to keep our cool," said Young. "We take the measure of a person when things are bad, not when things are good — because everyone can do a great job when things are good. It’s when things get rough, you see people lead. Military members have the ability to handle stress and accomplish the task in front of them, and that’s what attorneys must do, too.”
In addition to the initial $50,000 donation to initiate the scholarship, Young is offering a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $50,000, to increase the impact toward veteran students at Penn State Law. Any donation made will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to the stated limits. Visit this link to make a donation, or contact Rod Schultz, director of development and alumni relations, at rms6855@psu.edu, with questions or additional giving options.
With the record-breaking success of “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” which raised $2.2 billion from 2016 to 2022, philanthropy is helping to sustain the University’s tradition of education, research and service to communities across the commonwealth and around the globe. Scholarships enable our institution to open doors and welcome students from every background, support for transformative experiences allows our students and faculty to fulfill their vast potential for leadership, and gifts toward discovery and excellence help us to serve and impact the world we share. To learn more about the impact of giving and the continuing need for support, please visit raise.psu.edu.