The José Milton Foundation, led by Miami Law alumna and University of Miami Board of Trustee member Ana VeigaMilton, recently established the Milton Tech Law Endowed Scholarship in honor of junior board member and daughter Diana Milton's graduation from the School of Law. The scholarship will support law students interested in law and technology.
"In celebration of our graduations spanning 30 years, we set up the scholarship to provide financial assistance to law students," said VeigaMilton. "Encouraging studies in STEM and the intersection of STEM and other areas like law is important to my family. Diana has a computer science degree from Georgia Tech, and I have an electrical/computer engineering degree from UM. That we both graduated from Miami Law is a great source of pride!"
VeigaMilton's father-in-law established the José Milton Foundation to support programs and organizations in South Florida that improve the quality of living, with a particular focus on education, research, and health care.
"We hope to inspire recipients of the scholarship to be their own advocates in professional and personal circumstances, and we are excited to help mentor students through this scholarship," said VeigaMilton. "We hope the scholarship empowers STEM students to approach their careers creatively and consider the unique ways in which they can apply their STEM education to new contexts and bring new perspectives."
VeigaMilton has dedicated her life to service and philanthropy. Not only does she lead the José Milton Foundation, but she also co-founded the Cecil and Ana Milton Family Foundation and directs social responsibility initiatives for United Property Management in Coral Gables, one of the largest property owners and managers in South Florida, with almost 9,000 residential units and commercial real estate. As the immediate past president of the Citizens Board and current member of the University of Miami Board of Trustees, VeigaMilton has been a driving force behind the boards’ efforts in support of Ever Brighter: The University's Campaign for our Next Generation.
After graduating valedictorian of her high school class, VeigaMilton accepted an Isaac Bashevis Singer Scholarship to attend UM. While at the College of Engineering, she served on various student organizations, including the Engineering Advisory Board, ETA Kappa Nu, and Tau Beta Pi. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in electrical engineering. She accepted a position at Bellsouth as a communications engineer and helped implement Florida's first public voicemail system. Wishing to return to her alma mater after marrying Cecil Milton, a fellow 'Cane, VeigaMilton applied to Law School and received a full scholarship, thanks to her engineering background. Her first son, Alec, also a 'Cane, was born during her third year of law school. With her family's support, she graduated summa cum laude with a J.D. degree and became a member of The Florida Bar.
Milton, who graduates this week from Miami Law, was involved with the Technology Law Club during her time at law school and served as president this past year. She was also a student intern with the Investor Rights Clinic and served as a research assistant for Professor Michael Froomkin. She concentrated her studies on the Business of Innovation, Law, and Technology (BILT).
"What stands out most about the experience I had as a student at Miami Law is the community I built and the opportunities that stemmed from students who became mentors and faculty who became friends," said Milton. "I owe my success in law school to the Technology Law Club and to the Law in Technology Diversity Collaborative. Having a summer experience with the Law in Technology Diversity Collaborative really shined a light on my career goals and allowed me to meet lawyers who shared similar technical backgrounds. I am so grateful to the opportunities that I earned early on in my legal career that set me up for success and prepared me to be a better friend, communicator, leader, and mentor on campus."
After graduation and passing the Bar, Milton will join the intellectual property group at BakerHostetler in their Atlanta office.
"I worked at BakerHostetler the summer before my 3L year and feel ready to return to the team and show them what a Miami Law grad can do," said Milton.
Milton looks forward to combining her passion for technology and the law and exploring the intersection of the two. She hopes to advise startup companies and new entrepreneurs in the future.
"As you can imagine, my family and I are especially thrilled with Diana's imminent graduation," said VeigaMilton. "To add to my joy, I will be serving as the presiding trustee at the Miami Law commencement ceremony, so I will be among the very first to congratulate her with a hug onstage."
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