Gareth Morton

Born and raised in rural Oklahoma, Gareth’s roots in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, shaped his understanding of both the richness and challenges of rural American life. Growing up, he witnessed firsthand the intersection of vibrant cultural heritage — particularly through his involvement with the Chickasaw Nation — and the stark realities of rural poverty and food insecurity faced in his community.

Graduating high school in 2021 with an impressive 30 college credit hours already completed, Gareth earned a waitlist position at Harvard University during their most competitive admissions year to pursue aeronautical engineering. He chose to attend the University of Central Oklahoma on a full-ride academic scholarship, where he pivoted from jazz performance to political science and economics, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2024. During his accelerated three-year undergraduate career, Gareth distinguished himself through multiple leadership roles: championing campus food insecurity programs, earning national recognition for his Greek life leadership, advocating for student interests in student government, and conducting grant-funded research on food security under the economics department chair.

As a two-time Sumners Scholar—first as an undergraduate and now as a law student—Gareth attributes much of his professional development to the Foundation’s investment in his potential. The Foundation has provided him with invaluable opportunities, including networking with fellow scholars across Oklahoma and Texas, attending seminars with notable national voices, participating in educational programs, and completing an internship at the National Constitution Center.

Entering his 1L year, Gareth brings a focused yet flexible vision for his future in law. He is currently pursuing publication in a law review journal for his empirical research on college food insecurity policy, continuing his commitment to addressing hunger in Oklahoma. Additionally, his interest in banking and finance law stems from a belief that consumer financial services can be both fair and profitable—a balance he hopes to help strike through his future legal career.