Published on April 16, 2026 by Morgan Black  
Standifer Award

Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law recognized outstanding student achievement during its annual awards and scholarship ceremony held April 9. Among the honorees, second-year law student Elizabeth Standifer received a prestigious university-wide award in recognition of exemplary character, service and leadership.

Standifer was awarded the Joe W. McDade Scholarship, presented by Samford University’s Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student who demonstrates strong ethical and moral character, along with a deep commitment to service and leadership. Nominated by Cumberland School of Law faculty and staff, Standifer was selected from numerous nominees representing the university's 10 academic schools.

"Receiving the Joe W. McDade Scholarship is a profound reminder of why I chose law as my profession and calling,” Standifer said. “Ethical integrity and a commitment to service are not just ideals I aspire to as they are the standard I hold myself to every day. I am deeply honored to be recognized for embodying those principles, and I look forward to carrying them into every courtroom, every client relationship, and every opportunity I have to make a difference at and outside of Cumberland."

In addition to the McDade Scholarship, Cumberland School of Law students received several awards and scholarships made possible through the generosity of alumni, donors and professional organizations. This year’s recipients include:

  • Dean’s Award for Commitment to Public Interest and Public Service: Maya Shah
  • Alabama State Bar Family Law Section Award: Catherine Moore and Shane Wisehart
  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ Judge Anne Lamkin Durward Award: Jordan Smith and Madeline Brown
  • Women’s Section of the Birmingham Bar Association Award: Abby Kellogg
  • Alabama Defense Lawyers Association Annual Scholarship: Caraline Scheufler
  • Woodrow Hartzog Scholarship in Intellectual Property Award: Kimberly McKoy
  • Alabama State Bar Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Award: Ryan Lichtenstein
  • Lt. Wayne Morse, USMC, Book Scholarship Award: Brkela Miller
  • George M. Stewart Banking Award: MarcAnthony Coleman
  • M. Alan Stephens Memorial Scholarship Award: Josh Quattlebaum
  • S. Pierce Award: Elizabeth Mojica
  • Stone/Parker Award: Sam Martin
  • John A. Armstrong Memorial Scholarship: Mary Bishop
  • William J. Peeler Advanced Advocacy Award: Henry Sheils
  • Hand Arendall Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy: Allison Jordan
  • Starnes Davis Florie Scholarships in Trial Advocacy:
    • Winners: Bill Mouchette and Caleb New
    • Finalists: Connors Landwehr and Grant Smith
  • Burr & Forman Advocacy Awards:
    • Best Advocate: Caleb New
    • Best Closer: Logan Bradley
  • Mike Papantonio Trial Advocacy Award: Grace Grosenbach
  • Justice H. Mark Kennedy Award: Yaslin Perez and Chandler Campbell

The annual ceremony highlights Cumberland School of Law’s commitment to academic excellence, ethical leadership and professional service while celebrating the achievements of its students.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.