Marks & Harrison Launches $4,200 Driver Safety Scholarship Contest

Marks & Harrison, a century-old personal injury law firm with deep roots in Virginia and Washington DC, has launched its inaugural Driver Safety Scholarship Contest, offering $4,200 in total college scholarships to students who creatively address the dangers of distracted driving. The contest invites graduating high school seniors in Virginia and rising college freshmen enrolled in Virginia or DC institutions to submit original essays of at least 1,000 words or video essays of 5-6 minutes by the May 2, 2025 deadline. Entries must answer the prompt: "How can we educate our community about the dangers of distracted driving, and what are some practical ways we can drastically reduce distracted driving-related accidents?" The top three submissions will receive scholarships of $2,000, $1,200, and $1,000 respectively, with winners announced on June 2, 2025 and their work featured on the firm's website and social media platforms.

This initiative represents a strategic community engagement effort by Marks & Harrison, leveraging its expertise in personal injury law to combat one of the nation's leading causes of traffic accidents while supporting educational aspirations. The firm, which maintains offices throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC with over 30 personal injury attorneys and 100 staff members, positions the contest as both an educational tool and financial support mechanism for students. By requiring thoughtful, well-researched content that can range from serious to light-hearted in tone, the contest encourages creative approaches to public safety education while maintaining academic rigor. The scholarship structure provides meaningful financial assistance, particularly valuable for students attending both two-year and four-year institutions in the region.

The Driver Safety Scholarship Contest serves multiple purposes: it raises awareness about distracted driving through student-generated content, provides college funding to deserving applicants, and reinforces Marks & Harrison's century-long commitment to community safety. Students can access contest details and submit entries through the firm's dedicated scholarship portal, while those seeking more information about distracted driving statistics and prevention can explore the firm's comprehensive resources on this critical safety issue. This initiative demonstrates how legal professionals can extend their impact beyond courtroom advocacy to proactive community education and support, creating a virtuous cycle where scholarship recipients become ambassadors for safer driving practices in their communities.