Societal change is constant and, in these days, increasingly rapid. It’s difficult to imagine what the world may look like in 50 years – and yet, that’s exactly what Bertolino Law asks students applying for its 2024 Bertolino Government Regulations Scholarship to do.
This year’s applicants had to thoughtfully consider what impact American society may have on the world 50 years into the future. Of all the video essays submitted to the firm, Stacy Bediako’s stood out for its grounded creativity.
The firm’s scholarship selection committee wants to celebrate Bediako’s creativity while also making it easier for her to achieve her academic goals. Bediako stands to receive $2,500 in financial support as she continues pursuing her non-traditional academic career.
Three, Two, One – Blast Off!
It’s one thing to know that the 2024 Bertolino Government Regulations Scholarship wants students to use their imagination when thinking about the United States’ impact on the future. It’s another thing to start watching Bediako’s video essay and find one’s self on Mars.
Bediako’s video opens with the following monologue:
“In March 2072, 500 U.S. settlers established life on Mars. As they acquainted themselves with the red planet, conflicts [arise] with settlements of other nations or international groups.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prevents nations from claiming sovereignty over celestial bodies like Mars, but lacks clear rules for governing settlements by private entities or countries.”
Capitalizing on Modern Questions About Mars
It’s difficult to overstate how well Bediako draws listeners into the world she’s crafted. The world’s attention has been on Mars for quite some time, with everyone from Elon Musk to Andy Weir imagining what it’d be like to colonize the red planet – and yet Bediako bases her exploration of it on existing legislation.
Moreover, Bediako doesn’t shy away from the realities of conflict in the colonization process. Such tensions have been part and parcel of the Space Race since Russia first sent its cosmonauts skyward. In her future, Bediako emphasizes that tension won’t magically disappear, but precedent exists for addressing it.
A Future Based on Early Space Age Legislation
Bediako suggests that the new Marians will create a spiritual successor to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. This successor, known as the Martian Jurisdiction Act of 2074, solidifies agreements between colonizing bodies that control the flow of resources and provide references should territorial disputes arise.
Even then, Bediako doesn’t posit this treaty as a fix-all. Instead, she suggests that lawyers may take to the red planet to offer advice and support as settlers vie for land and material goods. She even suggests that should unequal possession arise as it did in the American West, lawyers may have influence over Mars’ resource distribution.
It’s Bediako’s willingness to acknowledge that even in this imagined Martian society, change is still necessary, which makes her stand out from the crowd – that and her incredible imagination. Bediako broke the mold with her video essay, winning her a round of applause and $2,500 from the firm.
Getting to Know an Architect of the Future
But who is this architect of the future? Stacy Bediako is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, where she’s pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering. She’s worked with the Swanson School of Engineering to participate in co-op programs, allowing her to study pharmaceuticals and consumer products.
She’s also involved with the National Society of Black Engineers and serves as the treasurer for the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. She plans to graduate in December 2025.
What to Expect from Bediako in the Future
Bediako is more than a creative mind. Her pursuit of her degree has proven non-traditional. After originally attending the University of Delaware, Bediako transferred to Bucks County Community College to alleviate the financial pressures of her degree. In 2022, she transferred to the University of Pittsburgh, where she hopes to graduate debt-free.
She hopes her future will see her use her experience as a chemical engineer to explore the field of consumer products. However, Bediako recognizes that she may change her mind and find new fields to explore, much like her imagined Martian colonists.
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Learn More About the Bertolino Government Regulations Scholarship
Bertolino LLP recognizes that the world has transformed in unimaginable ways since the firm’s inception. We want today’s students to think about their futures and the world they may one day live in. We specifically encourage students to think about how American policies, international and otherwise, might impact that future.
Students interested in applying for Bertolino LLP’s Government Regulations Scholarship should create a video essay between 30 and 60 seconds going into detail about their expectations for the future 50 years from now. We encourage students to specifically consider what laws – and how people interact with those laws – may have the greatest impact on society.
Applicants may specifically answer the following questions:
- How will a certain law or laws change to meet societal needs?
- How will Americans practicing the law interact with those changed laws?
- How will legal services change to accommodate those interactions?
- Will the change in society be a boon or burden to future Americans?
This scholarship’s previous winners include Grace McAloon, who, like Bediako, received $2,500 for her creative interpretation of the prompt.
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Congratulations Again, Stacy Bediako!
The 2024 Bertolino Government Regulations Scholarship encourages students to think creatively about the impact American legislation may have on a future we can’t predict.
In this instance, Bediako takes the prompt away from the familiar surface of the earth and instead imagines what future litigation may look like in international colonies based in outer space.
Bediako’s imaginative script and basis in America’s well-established outer space treaties result in a compelling, grounded, yet hopeful video. Our team appreciated the chance to learn more about Bediako’s wishes for the future and now proudly awards her the 2024 Bertolino Government Regulations Scholarship.
We hope the scholarship’s $2,500 will help Bediako continue to foster her creative spirit while she pursues her chemical engineering degree.
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