Public Service Scholarships

2024-2025 Public Service Scholars (l-r): Sophie Hess ’25, Noor Saleh ’26, Shelby Alexander ’26, and Grant Shellhouse ’26

The William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law’s Public Service Scholars Program provides $1500 scholarships for up to four second and third-year students with a demonstrated commitment to studying and working in public service and promoting it at the Law School.  “Public service” for this program includes legal work in non-profit, pro bono, government and legislative settings.

Scholars’ Responsibilities: Scholars will join the Justice Center Student Advisory Board, which:

• Provides the Justice Center with insight into the experiences of students pursuing public service and public interest law.

• Facilitates communication between the Center, students, and public interest-focused student organizations.

• Helps build the Law School’s public interest community and culture of service.

Meetings and Projects: The Board meets with Justice Center staff four to five times each semester, usually at 8:00 a.m., and attendance is mandatory. Scholars provide input on Justice Center programs and initiatives, work on committee projects, and share student organization updates.

The 2024-25 board will focus on projects that support new students interested in public service and connect students with public interest alumni.

Selection Criteria: Scholars are selected based on their:

1. Commitment to public service,

2. Leadership and involvement in student organizations, and

3. Interest in promoting public service at the Law School.

Financial need is not considered during the selection process. Additional limited scholarship support may be available for Scholars whose educational debt for law school will exceed $80,000.

Expectations for Scholars: Selected students will work closely with the Justice Center for about 6-8 hours per month during the academic year. Before funds are disbursed, each Scholar must sign an agreement agreeing to attend board meetings, attend and promote Justice Center events, work with Justice Center staff and other students to help plan Justice Center programs, build the Law School’s public interest community, promote a schoolwide culture of service, and sign and fulfill the pro bono pledge.

Learn more about the Public Service Scholars and Student Advisory Board here:

Student Advisory Board

2023-24 Public Service Scholars

For more information, please email: justicecenter@law.utexas.edu

Application Information

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by noon on August 19, 2024. Scholars will be announced by
August 27, 2024.

How to Apply: Second and third-year law students can apply online. Before applying, review the scholarship criteria and board details. The application includes an essay describing your commitment to public service, your interest in and ideas for promoting public service at the Law School, and your ideas for advancing the 2024-25 Board project goals.

Recipients

2024

Shelby Alexander
Sophie Hess
Noor Saleh
Grant Shellhouse

2023

Clara Altfeld
Cate Byrne
Nina Colombotos
Eliot Schulte

2022

Justin Atkinson
Amelia Austern
Emani Brown
Lea Kokenes
Lauren Schoen

2021

Samantha Acuña
Emily Bloom
Luke Freedman
Evan Snyder
Adarsh Parthasarathy

2020

photo of Alyssa Gordon
Alyssa Gordon
photo of Carolina Rivera
Carolina Rivera Nelson
photo of Emily Guzman Sufrin
Emily Guzman Sufrin

2019

Photo of Fabi Casas
Fabiola Casas
Photo of Zoraima Perez
Zoraima Pelaez
Photo of Kevin Robinson
Kevin Robinson
Photo of Kristin Schulz
Kristin Schulz
Photo of Julia Wang
Julia Wang Chung

2018

Justin Chung
Justin Chung
Savannah Kumar
Savannah Kumar
photo of Taylor Loynd
Taylor Loynd
Photo of Natalie Neill
Natalie Neill
Josh Wagner
Josh Wagner

2017

Sarah Mae Jennings
Sarah Mae Jennings
photo of Marcus Martinez
Marcus Martinez
photo of Leah Rodriguez
Leah Rodriguez
Alex Shahrestani
Alex Shahrestani

2016

Photo of Reema Ali
Reema Ali
Briana Perez
Briana Perez
Photo of Eva Sikes
Eva Sikes
Photo of Kendall Williams
Kendall Williams Onyendu

2015

Hannah Alexander
Hannah Alexander
Camila Cossio
Hannah Herzog
Hannah Herzog
Seth Manetta-Dillon
Seth Manetta-Dillon
Lochlin Rosen
Lochlin Rosen

2014

Kallie Dale-Ramos
Kallie Dale-Ramos
Karly Dixon
Karly Jo Dixon
Nora Gay
Nora Gay
Daniel Hatoum
Daniel Hatoum

2013

Sani Brosig
Stephanie Brosig
Sarah Bryant
Sarah Bryant
Kali Cohn
Kali Cohn
Hensleigh Crowell
Hensleigh Crowell
Eleanor D'Ambrosio
Eleanor D’Ambrosio
Stephanie Matherne
Stephanie Matherne
Catherine McCulloch
Catherine McCulloch

2012

Abby Anna Batko-Taylor
Abby Anna Batko-Taylor
Amelia Friedman
Amy Friedman
Coulter Goodman
Coulter Goodman
Mackenzie Meador
Mackenzie Meador
Sofia Meissner
Sofia Meissner
Brian Quillen
Brian Quillen

2011

Michael Garemko
Michael Garemko
Joanne Heisey
Joanne Heisey
Samantha Jarvis
Samantha Jarvis
Christine Nishimura
Christine Nishimura
Sara Puls
Sara Puls
Amelia Ruiz Fischer
Amelia Ruiz Fischer

2010

Michael O'Keefe Cowles
Michael Cowles
Photo of Brandi Mirzakhani
Brandi Mirzakhani
Meredith Shytles Parekh
Meredith Parekh
Photo of Alec Swafford
Alec Swafford
Stephanie Taylor
Stephanie Taylor
Photo of Susannah Volpe
Susannah Volpe

2009

Leah Farrell
Leah Farrell
Devon Helfmeyer
Devon Helfmeyer
Anjela Jenkins
Anjela Jenkins
Daniel Lenhoff
Daniel Lenhoff
Ruth Rosenthal
Ruth Rosenthal

2008

Brett Kaufman
Brett Kaufman
Lindsey Peebles
Lindsey Peebles
Terry Schuster
Terry Schuster
Spencer Wilson
Spencer Wilson

2007

Whitney Hill
Whitney Hill
Aron Israelite
Aron Israelite
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch
Meghan Shapiro
Meghan Shapiro
Lisa Philip
Lisa Snead

2006

John Belanger
John Belanger
Paul DiBlasi
Paul Di Blasi
Shirley Horng
Shirley Horng
Parisa Fatehi-Weeks
Parisa Fatehi-Weeks
Molly Spieczny
Molly Spieczny

2005

Taylor Falls Olson
Taylor Falls-Olson
Ashley Morris
Ashley Morris
John Tustin
John Tustin
Elizabeth Wagoner
Elizabeth Wagoner

Other opportunities: