MSP Turner Boyd Women in Intellectual Property Pipeline Scholarship Fund

2024-2025 Academic Year Award

Turner Boyd Women in Intellectual Property Pipeline Scholarship Fund will provide at least one annual scholarship award for a student who has completed at least 60 semester units, and is enrolled in a baccalaureate course of study in a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) within the College of Engineering & Computer Science or the College of Science & Mathematics.

Preference will be given to applicants who plan to pursue a law degree following the completion of their baccalaureate studies.

About the Donor:

Turner Boyd LLP was founded by Julie Turner and Karen Boyd in 2008 and is now the largest intellectual property (“IP”) litigation boutique in the country founded and majority-owned by women. Turner Boyd is one of the best-regarded IP litigation boutiques in Silicon Valley, representing clients from all over the world in courts throughout the United States. Clients range from household-name technology companies, to consumer product companies, to biotechnology companies at the forefront of medical innovation. Turner Boyd attorneys have undergraduate degrees in biology, materials science, biomedical engineering, computer science, physics, and electrical engineering, as well as psychology, music, international relations, Spanish, philosophy/political science, and creative writing. Founding partner Karen Boyd received her baccalaureate degree in biology from California State University, Northridge in 1990, and went on to receive her master’s degree in molecular biology from UCLA and her law degree from U.C. Berkeley in 1996.

Intellectual property deals with laws to protect the rights of creators and owners of inventions, writing, music, designs and other works. Grounded in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, IP law includes patent law, copyright law, trademark law, and trade secret law. IP law fosters innovation in fields ranging from pharmaceuticals and computers to art and music.

Women have made up 50% of all students graduating from law school for many years but are underrepresented in IP law. Only 22% of people registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (a qualification required to write patents) are women. One of the reasons for this underrepresentation is a pipeline problem: a baccalaureate or advanced degree in a technical field is required to practice many types of IP law and is a helpful background for others, and women continue to receive proportionally fewer STEM degrees than men. The purpose of the Turner Boyd Women in Intellectual Property Pipeline Scholarship is to address this issue, especially in first generation and other underrepresented populations served by California State University, Northridge.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be an undergraduate student enrolled in a STEM major within the College of Engineering & Computer Science or the College of Science & Mathematics (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
• Undergraduate students must enroll in 12 units or more during the Fall & Spring terms of the award year.
  Any change to your eligibility status in any term within the award year will result in a cancellation of your award.
• Must have a cumulative GPA greater than or equal to a 3.50.
• Must have a FAFSA or CADAA on file for the upcoming academic year.
• Must demonstrate a record of exceptional leadership, service, and involvement in campus or community activities that seek to develop and empower women.
• One letter of recommendation must be requested through the my Matador Scholarship system.
• Must upload a copy of your student resume. A student resume is a detailed record of your personal and educational information. It includes the name of your school/college, coursework, projects (if any) undertaken, and awards. The resume may also contain additional information like your extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, job experiences (if any), hobbies, etc.
  
  Please note:
  If you are receiving Financial Aid (including loans), your financial aid award(s) may be adjusted if you receive a scholarship amount that exceeds your financial aid total limit. Speak to a financial aid counselor during walk-in hours to get a detailed overview about your individual situation