Rod of Iron Trusts & Estates Counsel

Scholarships

We sponsor two scholarships created to honor the people who shaped us and to open doors for the next generation. Each one reflects a simple belief: education changes lives, and the right encouragement at the right moment can change everything.

Denise Davis Moorehead, Esq. Memorial Scholarship

Denise Davis Moorehead, Esq. Memorial Scholarship

In memory of Denise Davis Moorehead, Esq.

Denise Davis Moorehead, Esq. was a woman of deep faith, relentless determination, and boundless warmth. Born and raised in West Oakland she developed a love of learning early in life, and although she often said that her greatest achievement was becoming a mother to her son, Peter. That devotion to family only deepened her commitment to everything else she pursued. Her educational journey took her from Presentation High School to UC Berkeley for her undergraduate degree, then on to a Master’s from Cal State Hayward, and finally a law degree from San Francisco School of Law. For Denise, education was never just about personal achievement. She believed in its power to transform lives, and she lived that belief by pouring herself into the people around her.

Denise was also a woman who knew how to live fully. She found joy in cooking meals that brought people together, a craft she learned from her great-grandmother and mother, and in going on adventures, including trips to Ireland and Bali. She also found deep fulfillment in lifting others toward their own goals and celebrating alongside them. Those who knew Denise in life will remember her generous spirit, her infectious love of life, and her gift for making everyone around her feel seen and supported. The DDM Scholarship carries forward that same spirit: a belief that education opens doors, and that the right encouragement at the right moment can change everything.

Download the Notice of Application (PDF)

Vance Thompson Memorial Scholarship

Vance Thompson Memorial Scholarship

In memory of Vance Thompson, III

Vance Thompson, III was the epitome of leading by example. He never met a stranger, and being around him gave me the opportunity to see how a man carries himself when no one is looking. He taught me to value hard work, honesty, and faith, not through lectures, but through the way he lived every single day. Vance Thompson was my dad. Some people have mixed feelings about their dad. Not me. I knew from a young age that he was setting an example, and I was paying attention.

He was there to offer advice when you asked for it, and to offer understanding when consequences found you. He never judged; he just guided. I was blessed to see up close what a father looks like, and while he never got to see me become one myself, I hope he checks in every now and then, because he always knew I could. This scholarship is my way of honoring him and carrying forward the values he so quietly and faithfully lived.

Download the Notice of Application (PDF)