GBA 2026 Scholarship Recipients

Beginning in 2022, the Greensboro Bar Association awards two scholarships each year to current Elon Law Students.  These scholarships are for $2,000.00 each.  Students were invited to apply for consideration as one of the student scholarship recipients.

We are pleased to announce and recognize this year’s scholarship recipients.  Our recipients demonstrated a dedication to the Guilford County community and the value they place on their academic excellence.

Abigail “Abby” MacKnight

Abby MacKnight is a second-year law student at Elon University School of Law. She is from Charlottesville, Virginia and attended the University of Virginia. She studied Psychology and American Sign Language, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2016. While she originally planned to pursue a career in teaching, her studies led her to a strong interest in working with youth involved in the court system.

Prior to attending law school, Abby worked for eight years as a Juvenile Probation and Parole Officer with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. In this role, she helped many young people and their families navigate the complex juvenile court system, including commitment and re-entry into the community. She managed several specialized caseloads including youth with substance use disorders, mental health disorders, gang involvement, and problematic sexual behavior.

Abby is a Symposium Editor for Elon Law Review and is currently planning the 2026 Elon Law Review Symposium. She is a member of the Moot Court Board and serves as a student mentor. Some of her favorite activities in law school have included working with the Teen Court program, the Innocence Project, and teaching a group of girls at the Guilford Juvenile Detention Center about their rights and the court process.

Abby spent last summer working at the York County Public Defender’s Office in York, South Carolina. She looks forward to completing a judicial residency with Judge Trosch in the Mecklenburg County Superior Court this spring and working at a law firm this summer. She hopes to practice in criminal law or family law after graduation, with a special focus on juvenile advocacy.

In her free time, Abby enjoys spending time with her partner, friends, family, reading, traveling, and trying new restaurants and coffee shops around Greensboro.

Anna Paige Sherrill

Anna Paige Sherrill is a first-year law student at Elon University School of Law. Originally from Charlotte, she earned her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Economics from Appalachian State University. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a strong interest in the legal system, and the role attorneys play in protecting individual rights and ensuring access to justice.

Before attending law school, Anna Paige gained experience working at a criminal defense firm in North Carolina’s High Country. In this role, she assisted with legal research, case preparation, and courtroom observation. She gained early exposure to litigation and client advocacy. This experience strengthened her interest in pursuing a legal career and in serving communities where access to legal resources may be limited.

During law school, Anna Paige focused on building practical legal skills through academic involvement and hands-on experience. She is the treasurer of Elon Law’s Innocence Project Organization, where she reviews trial transcripts and evidentiary records in post-conviction cases and assists with memoranda analyzing potential legal claims. Through this work, she has developed a deeper appreciation for careful legal analysis.

Anna Paige has accepted a summer internship with the Gaston County Public Defender’s Office, where she looks forward to gaining further experience in criminal defense and public service.

Outside of law school, Anna Paige enjoys reading (specifically historical fiction novels), playing field hockey, swimming, trying new recipes in the kitchen, and hanging out with her friends. As a North Carolina native, Anna Paige values the opportunity to study and build her legal career in the region and hopes to continue serving communities across the state through her work in advocacy.