Frances Hartogh Diversity Outreach Scholarship Program
The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (formerly the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation) unveiled the Frances Hartogh Diversity Outreach Scholarship Program on February 14, 2019. The scholarship program was made possible by the generosity of Rob Risley, then Senior Counsel at Freeport-McMoRan, and the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation.
While the Foundation is renowned for its Annual Institutes and other top-tier conferences, it is equally dedicated to its Outreach Program, which annually allocates nearly $350,000 to advance legal education in natural resources and energy law. This financial support encompasses scholarships for law students, facilitating student attendance at Foundation educational programs, providing networking grants to connect students with practitioners and professionals, and offering grants to professors for research and scholarly pursuits.
Rob's significant contribution to the Frances Hartogh Diversity Outreach Scholarship Program will annually grant scholarships to natural resources and energy law students meeting specific eligibility criteria. These criteria include the potential to make valuable contributions to the natural resources law community and the potential to enhance diversity within the natural resources law practice.
The scholarship program bears the name of Frances Hartogh, the Foundation's former Associate Director, and Director of Outreach. Frances, a distinguished legal professional, earned her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1982. Her legal journey commenced with Colorado Interstate Gas in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before she assumed the role of Senior Counsel at Gold Fields Mining in Lakewood, Colorado. Frances also served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Colorado Attorney General's office prior to joining the Foundation in 2009.
Throughout her dedicated career, Frances played a pivotal role in expanding the Outreach Program and was a leading figure in promoting diversity outreach. Frances retired in June of 2019, carrying forward her remarkable 37 years of involvement with the Foundation into her retirement. Her legacy and unwavering commitment to the Foundation's mission continue to inspire and guide us in our ongoing efforts to foster diversity and excellence in the field of natural resources and energy law.