Public Service Graduates Honored
The 2007 Public Service Graduation honored a number of Public Service Law Program scholars during a ceremony held April 26, 2007, in the Wilkins Moot Courtroom.
The law program is oriented toward students who want to pursue careers in public service. In addition to taking a specific set of coursework, students who want to be certified must commit to at least 175 hours of legal work in public interest and government organizations to give themselves the necessary legal experience of working for the community.
This year, a total of 84 law students received certificates. In addition, 20 students were recognized as award nominees for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Service Award, which honors a graduating student who exemplifies Dr. King’s vision and commitment to public service.
In the nomination and the selection of this prestigious award, special emphasis is placed on public service performed for the benefit of the community. Those nominated for the award represent the best the legal profession has to offer: a combination of competent legal representation and a commitment to the underrepresented and disenfranchised.
Katherine Ruhl, who worked with the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic and the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, was awarded the prestigious service award.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Award nominations included:
Erica Ballinger
Etan Basseri
Aric Bright
Caryn Crosthwait
Faisal Dittu
Eric Dye
Sarah Farnsworth
Sarah Fenn
Jane Harrington
Lila Hollman
Thalassa Kingsnorth
Ruby Marquez
Sammar Miqbel
Amanda Newell
Katharine Ruhl
Nina Sachdev
Jennifer Smith
Kerianne Steele
Salvador Torres
Suzanne Zalev
Speakers at the ceremony included Dean Rex Pershbacher, Faculty Speaker Professor Jennifer Chacón, and Keynote Speaker Paul Igasaki ’79, the deputy chief executive officer of Equal Justice Works and an alum.
Igasaki said in a statement, "I'm truly proud of the progress King Hall has made, and that it embraces what it has always been, an academy for those serving the heart of the legal profession." He emphasized in his speech the difficulty law students face in pursuing public service law careers today because of high tuition and student loan debt.
The law program is oriented toward students who want to pursue careers in public service. In addition to taking a specific set of coursework, students who want to be certified must commit to at least 175 hours of legal work in public interest and government organizations to give themselves the necessary legal experience of working for the community.
This year, a total of 84 law students received certificates. In addition, 20 students were recognized as award nominees for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Service Award, which honors a graduating student who exemplifies Dr. King’s vision and commitment to public service.
In the nomination and the selection of this prestigious award, special emphasis is placed on public service performed for the benefit of the community. Those nominated for the award represent the best the legal profession has to offer: a combination of competent legal representation and a commitment to the underrepresented and disenfranchised.
Katherine Ruhl, who worked with the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic and the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, was awarded the prestigious service award.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Award nominations included:
Erica Ballinger
Etan Basseri
Aric Bright
Caryn Crosthwait
Faisal Dittu
Eric Dye
Sarah Farnsworth
Sarah Fenn
Jane Harrington
Lila Hollman
Thalassa Kingsnorth
Ruby Marquez
Sammar Miqbel
Amanda Newell
Katharine Ruhl
Nina Sachdev
Jennifer Smith
Kerianne Steele
Salvador Torres
Suzanne Zalev
Speakers at the ceremony included Dean Rex Pershbacher, Faculty Speaker Professor Jennifer Chacón, and Keynote Speaker Paul Igasaki ’79, the deputy chief executive officer of Equal Justice Works and an alum.
Igasaki said in a statement, "I'm truly proud of the progress King Hall has made, and that it embraces what it has always been, an academy for those serving the heart of the legal profession." He emphasized in his speech the difficulty law students face in pursuing public service law careers today because of high tuition and student loan debt.