Mary Sue Schulberg Scholarship Recipient. Grand Junction, CO native Desireé Smith is a third year student at Washburn  University School of Law,  having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Communications from Colorado State University.

Since coming to Washburn, where she is first in her class,  Desi has been active in the Oil & Gas Society/Center for Excellence; staff writer for the Washburn Law Journal; vice president of the Washburn Student Bar Association; and social media chair and co-director of the Children and Family Law Center.

She grew up in a rural area of Western Colorado where, in her words, “access to natural resources was a common topic of conversation and a common source of discontentment.” Access to water and other natural resources are issues in the local farming and livestock industries, and oil and gas production is also very prevalent.

While her initial intent was to study family law, she quickly became intrigued by Washburn’s many oil and gas law courses and switched her emphasis.  “I look forward to making an impact on this industry and taking on the evolving challenges this industry presents,” Desi wrote in her application.

Her references were quite complimentary of her abilities as well as her commitment to the rural areas of Kansas and Colorado where she would eventually like to practice.