Two Cañada Paralegal Students Earn Scholarships

Wed, 12 June, 2013 at 1:35 pm

Lorna Boales and Victoria Hughot received Scholarships from the San Mateo County Legal Secretaries Association


Two Cañada College paralegal students have each earned the Eula Mae Jett Scholarship from the San Mateo County Legal Secretaries Association.

Lorna Boales (L) and Victoria Hughot receive scholarships

Lorna Boales and Victoria Hughot each received a $500 scholarship from the association and Hughot was selected by the San Mateo Chapter of LSI to represent the county in the statewide competition where she earned another $1,500 scholarship. The second scholarship was awarded by Legal Secretaries Incorporated, California State Scholarship Board.

“This is a very competitive scholarship and our students should be commended for their hard work and outstanding academic ability,” said Althea Kippes, a faculty member in the Cañada College Paralegal Program.


Kippes had Boales and Hughot in her Advanced Legal Writing class in the spring semester. “As part of my regular assignment for this class, I require all of my students to draft the essay required for this scholarship,” Kippes said. “We do several drafts and revisions, and I find that it is the perfect persuasive writing exercise. After doing the hard work – the essay – many of the students decide to apply for the scholarship.”

Hughot graduated from Half Moon Bay High School and briefly attended Canada College prior to transferring to UCLA, where she received her degree in 2009. While attending UCLA she helped develop a program that offers support to foster youth and adults who have aged out of the foster care system and are now in pursuit of higher education. Hughot plans to complete her paralegal certificate at Cañada College and graduate with an Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies by December 2013. She aims to work as a paralegal in areas of Fair Housing, Consumer Rights, and Foster Youth Advocacy.

“It’s increasingly difficult for foster children who have aged out of the foster care system to attend college,” she said. “They simply don’t have the necessary support system. I know, because I was one of those children.”

Boales, a San Mateo resident, lost her job during the economic downturn and decided it was time to update her job skills. She had worked with several attorneys as an administrative assistant and when her father passed away in 2008, she helped settle his estate. “I had a strong interest in estate planning and probate after settling my father’s estate so I decided to study in a paralegal program.”


Kippes said Boales and Hughot both impressed her with their commitment to their education. “While my class is not an easy one, Victoria and Lorna did whatever was necessary in order to become better writers,” she said. They came to class early, stayed late, always attended office hours, and helped their classmates get a better understanding of the subject matter. They brought their own experiences, insight, and analysis into the assignments and class discussions which made the class relevant and interesting for everyone. I’m confident they will both succeed in their legal careers.”


“We need more professors like Althea Kippes,” Hughot said.  “She is amazing!  From the very first class I was inspired by her personal academic and professional achievements.  Throughout the semester she continually gave of her time and expertise and ALWAYS made herself available to students outside of class.  Not only was she a positive influence on me, but I witnessed her have a positive effect on other students as well.  Without Professor Kippes, I would have missed the opportunity to apply and ultimately win these scholarships!  I am very grateful that I took her class when I did. Moreover, I am very happy that she chooses to teach at a school like Cañada.”


Boales said she is going to pursue an associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies and she recently joined the College for Working Adults Program at Cañada, a program specifically designed to help working adults complete an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year college or university.


Boales said. “I’m still exploring my education and career path, but I am clear about the type of work I enjoy doing. I am planning to continue taking writing courses as well, because the better writer I am, the more useful I will be to a legal office.”
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