BLSA Weekend 2009
By the Content of their Character
The Notre Dame Black Law Students Association will host its 36th Annual BLSA Reunion Weekend on April 3-5. The weekend includes an opening reception, an ethics CLE presentation, a roundtable discussion about bridging the gap between current students and BLSA alumni, and an awards ceremony.
For more information about BLSA Weekend and to register, visit the BLSA web site.
Notre Dame alumni who were members of the Black Law Students Association return to campus each year to re-connect with familiar faces and meet current students. The theme of this year’s reunion, “But by the Content of their Character,” celebrates President Obama’s victory and the obstacles he overcame to achieve the presidency.
The capstone event of the weekend is the awards banquet, which will be held on Saturday, April 4 in the Notre Dame Stadium Press Box. The keynote speaker will be Notre Dame Law School alumnus Mark A. Wattley, vice president of the human resources and health divisions of Walgreens.
The following people will receive awards during the banquet:
Alvin McKenna Alumnus of the Year Award – Mr. Mark Wattley
Mark A. Wattley divisional vice president of Human Resources for Walgreens Health Initiatives. He oversees all human resources functions for Walgreens Health Services and the Health and Wellness divisions. Wattley also has served as a labor and litigation attorney with the Chicago Board of Education, regional attorney with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and a labor associate with Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz. He graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1991.
Charles F. Crutchfield Award, Faculty Member of the Year – Professor Amy Jo Griffin
Amy Griffin joined the legal writing faculty of Notre Dame Law School in 2005 as an adjunct assistant professor. She earned her B.A. in political science, summa cum laude, from Boston College in 1990 and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall School of Law) in 1993, where she received the American Jurisprudence Award in Torts.
After graduating from Boalt, she worked as an associate for Otten, Johnson, Robinson, Neff & Ragonetti in Denver, Colorado. At Otten, Johnson worked in the firm’s commercial litigation department, representing clients on a wide range of issues, including securities fraud, environmental contamination, and eminent domain.
BLSA Appreciation Award – Ms. Rebecca Ward
As the senior staff assistant for student services, Rebecca Ward has shown unending dedication to BLSA and its purpose through her personal actions, including participation in BLSA activities and overall support of the organization.
Dwight King Service Award – Ms. Nyeri Ahmed
Olawumi Nyeri Ahmed is a member of the class of 2011. She is from New Jersey, where she majored in Africana studies and history at Seton Hall University. As BLSA’s 1L representative, she has made significant contributions to the group this year, organizing the annual Valentine’s fundraiser and designing this year’s BLSA t-shirt. Nyeri also serves as a Council on Legal Education Opportunity Associate and, through her membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, volunteers and raises funds for breast cancer awareness and local women’s shelters. Prior to entering law school, she worked as a peer health counselor and volunteer Big Sister before starting law school. This summer, Nyeri plans to work for a small non-profit in Chicago.
