{"id":76199,"date":"2021-01-14T06:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=76199"},"modified":"2021-07-19T11:40:34","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T15:40:34","slug":"a-life-changing-gift-and-lemonade","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2021\/a-life-changing-gift-and-lemonade\/","title":{"rendered":"A Life-Changing Gift\u2014and Lemonade"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin record-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-center has-dark-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Sliced lemons against a pink background\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1101x826.jpg 1101w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-909x682.jpg 909w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1761x1321.jpg 1761w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-459x344.jpg 459w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-705x529.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-917x688.jpg 917w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1411x1058.jpg 1411w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1819x1364.jpg 1819w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1333x1000.jpg 1333w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/lemons-arianka-ibarra-unsplash-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photo by Arianka Ibarra on Unsplash<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Giving<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA Life-Changing Gift\u2014and Lemonade\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Maria C. Green established a scholarship that provides transformational support to exceptional students.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar record-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">January 14, 2021<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/authors\/louise-kennedy\/\">Louise Kennedy<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph record-block-editorial-introparagraph is-style-dropcap-outlined has-dropcap has-dropcap-color-quinary\"><div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph-content\"><p>Maria Green earned her JD from BU Law in 1977. \u201cIt was a really challenging time to be African American in Boston,\u201d she states, as longstanding racial tensions became exacerbated by an intense busing crisis in the Boston public schools. \u201cBut my law school experience was a good one.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image alignfarright\"><figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Maria-Green.jpg\" alt=\"Maria Green ('77)\" class=\"wp-image-76204\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Maria-Green.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Maria-Green-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Maria-Green-344x344.jpg 344w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Maria-Green-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Maria-Green-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Green was one of just six African American students in her class. But you might say they turned lemons into lemonade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe were pretty close-knit,\u201d she says, adding that the Black Law Students Association worked with similar groups at other Boston schools to sponsor events and create a sense of community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Green went on to a distinguished legal career\u2014including stints at Freddie Mac and as the general counsel of Illinois Tool Works, and then of Ingersoll Rand. Now retired, she serves on a number of company and nonprofit boards in Chicago, where she and her husband (also a lawyer) moved after marrying in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been really blessed with a lot of good fortune,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve always been passionate about education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why she recently established the Maria C. Green Scholarship, providing a full-tuition scholarship for all three years at BU Law to an African American woman \u201cwho has shown exceptional academic performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve seen the transformative effect of education on people\u2019s lives,\u201d Green says. \u201cI had lots of loans, and if we can provide the means to not have that burden\u2014it changes the whole trajectory of their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image alignfarleft\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Kanda-Faye.jpg\" alt=\"Kanda Faye ('22)\" class=\"wp-image-76203\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Kanda-Faye.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Kanda-Faye-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Kanda-Faye-344x344.jpg 344w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Kanda-Faye-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2021\/01\/Kanda-Faye-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Kanda Faye (\u201922) knows about that kind of transformation firsthand. A first-generation college student, Faye majored in political science and peace &amp; justice studies at Wellesley College, and decided to go to law school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThen I realized I\u2019d never met a lawyer\u2014never spoken to one,\u201d she says. \u201cMy dad worked at Newark Airport; I didn\u2019t know anybody who had an advanced degree. How do I jump into law school without ever having a single conversation with somebody who\u2019s been through it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So she took a job at the Boston office of global law firm Nixon Peabody. Her four years there confirmed her interest in the law\u2014and heightened her interest in BU. \u201cThere were so many BU alums there, and others who weren\u2019t alums but spoke very highly of BU Law. They were amazing mentors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Faye applied \u201cfar and wide,\u201d she says, but \u201cBU called me, said \u2018Congratulations,\u2019 and sent a handwritten note. Those personal touches made me think: \u2018I could have a home here.\u2019 \u201cStill, she admits that she was \u201cterrified\u201d of the debt she would take on. She would meet almost the entire cost of her education herself through substantial loans\u2014a pretty sour prospect, until the day when, thanks to Maria Green, the outlook suddenly turned sweet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote record-block-bu-pullquote alignwide is-style-pop has-quinary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote-inner\"><blockquote><div class=\"container-lockup\"><div class=\"container-icon-outer\"><div class=\"container-icon-inner\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"container-text\"><hr\/><div class=\"quote-sizing\">I\u2019ve seen the transformative effect of education on people\u2019s lives. I had lots of loans, and if we can provide the means to not have that burden\u2014it changes the whole trajectory of their lives.<\/div><footer class=\"caption\">Maria Green<\/footer><hr\/><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Faye was on her lunch break in a Boston caf\u00e9, drinking a matcha lemonade\u2014\u201cthe worst drink I ever purchased,\u201d she recalls with a laugh\u2014when the School of Law Financial Aid office called about a looming deadline. Then, unexpectedly, the woman on the phone said, \u201c\u2018Hold on, I\u2019m going to have the director of the office get on the line with you.\u2019 So now I\u2019m on hold thinking, \u2018They made a mistake, I did not actually get into this amazing school\u2026\u2019 Then the director comes on and says, \u2018Congratulations, Kanda\u2014you will be receiving the Maria Green Scholarship.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I heard that,\u201d Faye says, \u201cI spilled the entire matcha lemonade on my dress. Literally. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been so happy in my life. It was a life-changing moment for me. \u201cI realized how much I was consumed by dread,\u201d she explains. \u201cTo apply\u2014to get in, to finally do it\u2014and then to have this fear hang over me like a monster reading every \u2018Welcome to BU Law!\u2019 email over my shoulder. For a first-generation, African American student with a modest background, taking on a tremendous amount of debt to go to law school felt like a very high-stakes risk. All of that fear and dread was just sucked away with this one phone call and some spilled matcha lemonade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The support is not just life-changing for her, Faye notes. \u201cThe amount of debt that I am not taking on\u2014it lets me consider the prospect of homeownership. It means I\u2019ll be able to take care of my parents in their later years. It just opens up so many doors for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">So many doors; so many gifts. \u201cThat,\u201d says Faye, \u201cis the kind of gift that I want to give to someone after BU Law. I\u2019ll make sure to pay it forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-editorial-aside record-block-editorial-aside\">\n<p class=\"aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button wp-block-bu-button record-block-button has-quinary-theme is-style-default\" href=\"https:\/\/trusted.bu.edu\/s\/1759\/2-bu\/giving\/interior.aspx?sid=1759&amp;gid=2&amp;pgid=420&amp;cid=1057&amp;appealcode=WEBLAW\">Support BU Law<\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\t<section class=\"wp-block-editorial-collection-billboard record-block-editorial-collection-billboard\">\n\n\t\t<h3 class=\"collection-billboard-intro-title\">This Series<\/h3>\n\t\t<article class=\"collection-billboard-article\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-billboard-media\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"collection-navigation-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"534\" height=\"704\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Tamar Frankel\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2.jpg 534w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2-482x636.jpg 482w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2-517x682.jpg 517w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2-261x344.jpg 261w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2-401x529.jpg 401w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2025\/03\/Frankel-Tamar-2-522x688.jpg 522w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"collection-billboard-media-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2025\/a-principled-pioneer-of-corporate-law\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"collection-billboard-media-title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>A Principled Pioneer of Corporate Law<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-billboard-content\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-billboard-small-title\">Also in<\/h4>\n\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"collection-billboard-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/collections\/impact\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"collection-billboard-title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Impact<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"collection-billboard-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"collection-billboard-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article-date\">November 12, 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2025\/comrades-in-law-school\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"collection-card-article-title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Comrades in Law School<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"collection-billboard-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article-date\">October 31, 2023<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2023\/forging-his-own-path\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"collection-card-article-title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Forging His Own Path<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"collection-billboard-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article-date\">September 20, 2023<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-billboard-list-item-article-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2023\/jimena-mohedas-scholarship\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"collection-card-article-title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Opportunity Knocks<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/collections\/impact\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"collection-billboard-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Series home<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/article>\n\n\t<\/section>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maria Green earned her JD from BU Law in 1977. \u201cIt was a really challenging time to be African American in Boston,\u201d she states, as longstanding racial tensions became exacerbated by an intense busing crisis in the Boston public schools. \u201cBut my law school experience was a good one.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11260,"featured_media":76210,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"Giving","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[3900],"bu-publication":[3742],"record-article-category":[3918,3744,3753,3786,3758],"record-topic":[3935,3914],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/76199"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76199"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/76199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76817,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/76199\/revisions\/76817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76199"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=76199"},{"taxonomy":"record-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-article-category?post=76199"},{"taxonomy":"record-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-topic?post=76199"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=76199"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=76199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}