Kraig Kohring was the first person in his family to go to college. He attended the University of Kansas for both his undergraduate studies and law school, and since graduating from law school in 1992, he has forged a successful career. He is now the real estate and financial services department chair of Polsinelli in Kansas City. 

Kohring has pledged $250,000 to the School of Law for the Kohring Family Scholarship. His decision to give back was influenced by the scholarships he received when he was in law school. As a first-generation Jayhawk, Kohring knows how scholarships can make all the difference for a student in financial need. 

“It’s incredibly gratifying, and really an honor, to give back in a way that will help somebody in the same way somebody helped me, when I needed it, to find a successful path forward in life,” he said. 

Kohring said he decided to pursue law after he took an aptitude test in ninth grade and the results told him that lawyer would be a good fit. He said that he enjoyed the opportunity to explore and experiment at KU as an undergraduate, these formative years having a significant impact on his life and career path. He described his time at KU as “one of the best periods of my life.” 

“I did theater, I took a percussion class,” he said. “At the end, I did a double major in English and political science and just had a lot of fun.” 

Kohring said that through KU, he learned about summer law internships, which allowed him to gain valuable experiences. Both the scholarship and the internships helped him learn what he wanted to do with his career. 

“All of that helped pave a path, forge a path, for me,” Kohring said. “That has given me the ability to both have a really successful, rewarding career and provide for my family in a way that was way beyond the life I had lived up to that point.” 

The Kohring Family Scholarship ensures that law students with financial need can pursue their dreams of becoming a lawyer. Kohring said that law school is a great place for students to merge their passions and talents. To the recipients of the scholarship, he offered encouragement: 

“I really do hope this helps you achieve what you’re focused on, and I hope that you go into law school with an open mind and allow that experience to help you shape your vision of what you want to do with your life,” Kohring said. 

If you are interested in giving to the School of Law, you can give directly to the law school fund. You can also reach out to Bethany Tegtmeier, senior development director and team lead at KU Endowment, at 785-832-7466 or btegtmeier@kuendowment.org. 

-By Rylie Oswald, KU Endowment