JND Legal Administration has established a $35,000 annual scholarship at Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics for graduate students focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. The award, named after JND’s CEO and Seattle University alumna Jennifer Keough, is being granted for the first time in 2026.
Graduate students pursuing entrepreneurship at Seattle University have a significant new source of financial support. JND Legal Administration, a national leader in legal services management, has announced the creation of the Jennifer Keough Scholarship — a $35,000 annual award for graduate students in the Albers School of Business and Economics who are committed to innovation and entrepreneurial leadership.
The scholarship is being awarded for the first time in 2026 and is named in honor of Jennifer Keough, the CEO and co-founder of JND Legal Administration, who earned her bachelor’s degree, Master of Science in Finance, and Juris Doctor from Seattle University.
“My time at Seattle University was instrumental to my career, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support graduate students who are on a similar path,” Keough said in a news release. “This scholarship is intended to ease financial barriers for those with the drive and integrity to become strong business leaders.”
The award reflects a growing trend of corporate leaders and alumni investing directly in the graduate programs that shaped their own careers. For students navigating the cost of graduate business education, a $35,000 scholarship can represent a meaningful reduction in debt burden — freeing recipients to take entrepreneurial risks rather than defaulting to higher-paying but potentially less fulfilling career paths out of financial necessity.
About the Scholarship
The Jennifer Keough Scholarship is designed to recognize aspiring business leaders who demonstrate both academic drive and a genuine commitment to innovation. Rather than rewarding accomplishment alone, the award is oriented toward students who show integrity, perseverance and a desire to create meaningful impact in their communities — qualities that mirror Keough’s own path from Seattle University student to co-founder of one of the country’s most prominent legal administration firms.
The full $35,000 will be distributed each year either to a single recipient or split between two students, depending on the selection committee’s decisions. The structure allows for flexibility while maximizing financial impact for those chosen.
Eligibility
The scholarship is open to incoming or current graduate students enrolled at the Albers School of Business and Economics. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate a commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation through one of two pathways: enrollment in coursework toward an Entrepreneurship Certificate, or active participation in programs offered through the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center.
Qualifying Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center programs include two notable initiatives: the Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition, which challenges student teams to develop and pitch viable business concepts, and the Jones Progress Awards, which recognize students making advances in entrepreneurial endeavors. Involvement in either program signals the kind of entrepreneurial engagement the scholarship seeks to support.
Beyond program participation, candidates are evaluated on their demonstrated drive, integrity and commitment to leadership — values that the scholarship’s namesake has embodied throughout her own career building JND Legal Administration into a nationally recognized firm with offices in California, Minnesota, New York and Washington.
How to Apply
Students interested in the Jennifer Keough Scholarship should visit the Seattle University scholarship page for application details and deadlines. Information is available directly through Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics. The inaugural award will be granted in 2026, so eligible graduate students are encouraged to explore the opportunity now.
For more information about the scholarship or to begin an application, visit the official announcement page or reach out directly to the Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University.