Alumni News and Notes

67d Alumni News and Notes

1000

news & notes
ALUMNI

352 Graduate at Cardozo's 20th Commencement
Victor Wills Receives Jacob Burns Award
Five Win Alumni Association Scholarships
Coordinating Committee Elections
Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Board and Alumni Join Forces in Fundraising Efforts
Annual Fund Raises $120,463

352 Graduate at Cardozo's 20th Commencement

Abner J. Mikva, a former judge, congressman, and White House counsel, delivered the keynote address at Cardozo's 20th commencement held on June 14 at Avery Fisher Hall of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He urged graduates to have faith in the law, to use its power to improve our society, and to pursue their professions with integrity. This year's class was larger than usual-352 students received juris doctor degrees. Jonathan Benjamin Schloss delivered the student address.

Victor Wills Receives Jacob Burns Award
For the first time, the Jacob Burns Award for Special Contributions to the Law School was given to a Cardozo staff member in addition to students. Victor Wills, who received a standing ovation at Avery Fisher Hall, has been a security guard at Cardozo since 1994. The Honors and Awards Committee said Mr. Wills has helped to build a sense of community at the Law School with his "unfailingly positive, friendly, and helpful presence." Mr. Wills, who is a single parent raising two young daughters, served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Rangers from 1969 to 1972, and when he returned home was an instructor for two years in the 82nd Airborne Division. Prof. Lela Love, a member of the Committee, said, "Victor knows the names and faces of all the people who regularly enter the building. This enhances his ability to ensure a secure building. But more than that, he gives a warm welcome and personal greeting to people, which in turn brightens the day for the Cardozo community." Students Dana Elizabeth Auslander and Robert L. Jones, Jr. also received the Jacob Burns Award.

Five Win Alumni Association Scholarships

(From left) Alumni Association President Karel Turner '87 with Alumni Association Scholarship recipients Evan Janush, Lynne Lubash, and Erin McGrath. Joan Erlich-White '87, director of alumni affairs, is at right.

Inna Fershteyn, Evan Janush, Lynne B. Lubash, Erin A. McGrath, and Steven S. Sparling of the class of 1998 won Alumni Association Scholarships. Each year, these scholarships to second- and third-year students are awarded on the basis of financial need, community or law school service, academic achievement and publications, and/or to students with disabilities or those who are disadvantaged in some way. These scholarships are made possible by contributions made to the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. Scholarships of $1,500 went to both Morgen M. Bowers '99 and Katrina D. Rainey '99, who received the Lila Yagerman Memorial Scholarship, donated by Mark Yagerman '79 in memory of his mother. Colleen Samuel '99, who is studying for a joint degree from Cardozo and Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work, won the Monroe E. Price Award of $2,000.

Coordinating Committee Elections
Two representatives of the Class of 1998 were elected to the Coordinating Committee, the ruling body of the Cardozo Alumni Association. Rachel Israel won, and Jay Heinrich and Melanie Sulzman tied for the second seat. The Coordinating Committee will determine who is to be the alternate in the event one of the two representatives is unable to serve.
Loan Repayment Assistance Program
The Loan Repayment Assistance Program at Cardozo Law School benefits graduates who have chosen to pursue careers in public interest law. The Program was established in recognition of the fact that, with few exceptions, public interest jobs pay considerably less than those in the private sector. By the time many Cardozo students graduate, they have accumulated so much educational debt that the choice of public interest law, with its low salaries, may present insurmountable financial obstacles. The Cardozo Loan Repayment Assistance Program was designed to alleviate some of those burdens, thereby encouraging graduates to consider public interest law. Graduates who received a J.D. from Cardozo in 1995 or later are eligible. To request an application, contact the Office of Student Finances at (212) 790-0392.

The annual Law Review alumni party, held at the Manhattan Penthouse, is always a well-attended event.
(from left) Rina Saltzman, Jay Saltzman '94, and Lawrence Altman '94.

Many Class of 1998 student leaders won awards for academic achievement and contributions to the Cardozo community. (From left, back row) Robert L. Jones, Jr., president, BALLSA; Jonathan Schloss, commencement speaker and senior articles editor, Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal; Kenneth Dursht, editor-in-chief, Cardozo Law Review; Michael Liddie, editor-in-chief, Moot Court Honor Society; Steven Sparling, executive editor, Cardozo Law Review. (From left, front row) Evan Janusch, SBA president, Lauren Mandell, editor-in-chief, Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal; Erin McGrath, editor-in-chief, Cardozo Women's Law Journal.

Board and Alumni Join Forces in Fundraising Efforts
In an effort to increase alumni involvement at Cardozo, several initiatives were inaugurated this fall. An Alumni Leadership Council was founded and held its inaugural meeting at the offices of Schulte Roth and Zabel. Inspired by board members Stephen J. Schulte and Rachel Warren '92, more than 25 alumni attended and mapped out strategies for building a dynamic alumni network and greater fund-raising opportunities. Pamela Henes '96 and Jonathan Henes '96 were named co-chairs of this group, which is open to alumni from all classes. The board is in the early planning stages of a capital campaign that will seek to raise $25 million for physical and technological improvements and scholarships. The goal of the campaign will be to improve future opportunities for students and alumni alike. Significant gifts to Cardozo this year included continued commitment to scholarship by Ruth Mack; Earle I. Mack, chairman, Cardozo Board of Directors; and the Mack family through generous support of the H. Bert and Ruth Mack Scholarship Fund. Shimmie Horn, Esq. '96 and YC '93 established in memory of his grandfather the Jack Horn Endowed Memorial Scholarship for graduates of Yeshiva and Stern Colleges. Barry A. Shenkman, president of the Jacob Burns Foundation, allocated funds to The Jacob Burns Center for Ethics in the Practice of Law, The Jacob Burns Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, and the 85c Jacob Burns Scholarship Fund. Kathryn Greenberg '82 established the Kathryn and Alan C. Greenberg Scholarship Fund at Cardozo.

Annual Fund Raises $120,463
The final tally for the 1997-98 Annual Fund was $120,463 from alumni, parents, faculty, and friends.
Alumni giving to the Annual Fund tripled with more than $58,000 donated by graduates and their friends representing every class. Christopher Seeger and Stephen Weiss of the class of 1990 spearheaded the campaign with generous gifts of $5,000 each.
Dr. Melvin and Carol Ann Feiler, parents of a
current student, gave generously to a special Dean's discretionary fund. Full-time faculty contributed more than $6,000.
The 1998-99 Annual Fund goal is $200,000. Tax-deductible donations, which can be directed to a specific program or in a special way, help Cardozo, its reputation, and ultimately the value of a Cardozo degree-no matter what graduating year. For information about the Annual Fund or the Alumni Leadership Council, contact the Office of Development.

(From left) Earle I. Mack, chairman, Cardozo Board of Directors, with new board members Kathryn Greenberg '82 and Thomas Lee.

Ruth Mack greets board member Eric Javits and Rabbi Norman Lamm.

More than 25 alumni attended the first Alumni Leadership Council meeting. Among them (from left) Stephen A. Weiss '90, Hal Goldstein '90, Christopher Seeger '90.

Rachel Warren '92 and Jonathan Henes '96 attended the fall board dinner.

0