Third-year Notre Dame Law students honored for public interest work at annual Champions for Justice Ceremony
Celebrating a deep commitment to service, Notre Dame Law School’s Champions for Justice Public Interest Recognition Ceremony honors third-year students who have dedicated themselves to advancing the common good through their legal education. The annual event recognizes those who have gone above and beyond in pursuing justice through public interest work, government service, and military commitment during their time in law school.
This year’s ceremony, held on April 7, celebrated recipients of the Thomas L. Shaffer Public Interest Fellowship Award, the Tia B. Paulette & Erika S. Gustin Award, students selected for the Government Honors Programs, students who have committed to the Judge Advocate General Corps, and students recognized as Champions for Justice. All of these students demonstrated a dedication to public service and were devoted to the pursuit of justice during their time at Notre Dame Law School, and exhibited impactful contributions to public service work. Vinny Versagli, director of career development, was the Master of Ceremonies and introduced the presenters, and Dean G. Marcus Cole provided opening remarks and a prayer.
Thomas L. Shaffer Public Interest Fellowship
Nicole A. Rafferty was announced as the recipient of the Thomas L. Shaffer Public Interest Fellowship award. Named in honor of Thomas L. Shaffer, former dean and longtime professor at Notre Dame Law School, the fellowship covers salary and benefits for two years for recipients to work with nonprofit organizations of their choice and dedicate their time to public interest legal service. Nikki will serve domestic violence survivors and their children in North Carolina, fulfilling Notre Dame’s Catholic mission of helping the most vulnerable.
Government Honors Programs
The Government Honors Programs awards were presented to Calvin Thomas Holst for the United States Department of Homeland Security and Garrett Hofmann for the Department of Justice. Government Honors Programs are highly selective and extremely competitive, offering two-year placements focused on national security and public service, where participants work to uphold the rule of law and ensure justice for the American people.
Judge Advocate General Corps
Notre Dame Law School has a long history of graduates serving in the military, and this year, five third-year law students will join the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). The Judge Advocate General’s Corps is the legal branch of the U.S. military, where judge advocates serve as licensed attorneys handling matters such as military justice, administrative law, and international law across the service branches.
The five students include:
- Parker Felterman - United States Army
- Emmett Gillen - United States Marine Corps
- Thomas Horner - United States Air Force
- Elizabeth Martin - United States Air Force
- Oscar Serratos - United States Army
Tia Paulette and Erika Gustin Award
The Tia Paulette and Erika Gustin Award is given annually to a graduating law student who has demonstrated a personal and professional commitment to criminal justice and public interest while furthering the goals of the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic (EJC) and Notre Dame Exoneration Project student group.
Named after Notre Dame Law alumnae Tia Paulette ’18 J.D. and Erika Gustin ’19 J.D., the award honors their efforts to address wrongful convictions during their time as students. They helped found the Notre Dame Exoneration Project student group, which became the foundation for the Wrongful Conviction Externship and ultimately led to the establishment of the Exoneration Justice Clinic in 2020.
This year’s award recipient was Andrew Zimlich. He first worked with the Exoneration Justice Clinic (EJC) as an undergraduate at Notre Dame and continued his involvement as a 2L and 3L at Notre Dame Law School. He demonstrated a deep commitment to serving those who were wrongfully convicted and made a meaningful impact on the clinic through his dedication to the pursuit of justice.
Champions for Justice Medals
Twenty-eight third-year law students were recognized this year as Champions for Justice in honor of their extraordinary commitment to public service. These students dedicated themselves to public interest work through summer internships and participation in the Law School’s clinics and externships. They exemplified Fr. Hesburgh’s vision through their dedication to serving others, meeting a high threshold of involvement in public interest work.
The recipients include:
- Colton Barta
- Lucas Brolin
- Jessica Buchanan
- Kathleen Casey
- Autumn Chassie
- Christine Farnberg
- Parker Felterman
- Holly Fulbright
- Morgan Hall
- Sydni Hart
- Garrett Hofmann
- Nora Ibrahim
- Alesis Juntunen
- Alexa Kawlewski
- Nathan Kawlewski
- Albert Kwon
- Allyson Lazarre
- Ava Moreno
- Peris Munene
- Nikki Rafferty
- Alexandra Ragland
- Sam Spain
- Mikela St. John
- Katie Stewart
- Steven Tu
- Tyson Weeks
- Gloria Wertjes
- Andrew Zimlich