The Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at the University of Michigan Law School cordially invites you to join them at the 2026 Butch Carpenter Memorial Scholarship Gala.

We hold this annual event in memory of Alden J. “Butch” Carpenter, a former University of Michigan Law School student. In 1977, Carpenter entered law school to advocate for disinvested communities through his business and lawyering skills. Sadly, Carpenter passed away during the winter semester of his first year of law school and did not get the chance to realize his dreams. On February 21st, 1978, only a few weeks after Carpenter’s untimely passing, the BLSA membership voted unanimously to honor his memory by establishing the Alden J. “Butch” Carpenter Memorial Scholarship Fund. Paying homage to Carpenter’s lifework, each year the fund awards scholarships to outstanding first-year BLSA members who are interested in business law and have demonstrated a commitment to community development.