WHS Senior Recipient of OSU Morrill Scholarship

Westlake High School senior Shawn Walls is the recipient of The Ohio State University’s acclaimed Morrill Scholarship Program Excellence Scholarship.

The scholarship recognizes students’ commitment to excellence and diversity initiatives. The Excellence Scholarship is equal to the value of in-state tuition. The Morrill Scholarship Program (MSP) seeks academically exceptional high school seniors who will contribute to campus diversity and who actively engage as advocates and champions of diversity, inclusion and academic excellence on campus. The MSP rewards more than 300 scholarships annually to high school seniors.

Shawn was accepted into the Politics Society and Law Scholars at OSU. Last summer he attended the Buckeye Student Leadership Academy at OSU, where he participated in various leadership and diversity exercises. Following college and law school, Shawn said he aspires to become a judge or lawyer in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. He intends to focus on cases involving civil rights violations and constitutional law.

Shawn is captain of the Debate team and Model UN at WHS. In debate, he regularly places in the Top 5 at weekly tournaments, was an Octafinalist in the State Tournament, and earned the national Superior Distinction and All American awards. In Model UN, he was awarded Best Delegate at three conferences, along with other awards. He is applying to be an Eagle Scout.

Shawn also works at the Rocky River Municipal Court in the clerk’s office and Probation Department.

Shawn is the second WHS student to receive a Program Excellence scholarship. WHS senior Selma Babiker also earned the scholarship.