W&M Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program awards announced

by Jaime Welch-Donahue, Law School Communications | March 11, 2010

Twelve alumni will receive 2010 awards from the Law School’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

Graduates who work for private non-profit organizations with a public service mission or government employers are eligible to apply to the program for up to $5,000 annually in loan forgiveness for a maximum of three years. Initially established to honor Professor Emeritus John Levy, the program has provided forgivable loans totaling $210,050 to 33 graduates since 2005. Income from endowments, gifts from alumni and friends, and a contribution from the student-run Public Service Fund support the program.

People from across the Law School community serve on the selection committee each year. Members of the 2010 committee included Professor James Dwyer and Professor Emeritus John Levy; graduates Judy Conti '94 and David Dalke '93; Amy Dardinger ’10, Co-Chair of the Public Service Fund, and Jessica Hass ‘10; and senior administrators Terri Lorincz, Robert Kaplan, Sally Kellam, and Faye Shealy.

“The Loan Repayment Assistance Program is thriving, thanks to the generosity of the Law School’s alumni and friends and the success of our Public Service Fund, ” said Robert Kaplan, Associate Dean for Career Services and Public Service Initiatives, and Director of Externships. “The program makes a meaningful difference to recipients' ability to serve the public good. It also sends an important message to prospective students, who view it as concrete evidence of the Law School's commitment to supporting public service careers."

New awards for 2010:

Eric Jewell '09 - Gloucester Commonwealth's Attorney (Gloucester, VA)
Paul Karasick '09 - State Attorney, 12th Judicial Circuit (Bradenton, FL)
Christopher Lindsey '08 - Texas Attorney General, Law Enforcement Defense Division (Austin, TX)
Thomas Poole '07 - Miami-Dade State Attorney (Miami, FL)
Michael Smith '09 - Gloucester Commonwealth's Attorney (Gloucester, VA)

Awards renewed from 2009:

Julian Carr '07 - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Norfolk, VA)
Alex Chasick '08 - Consumers Union (Washington, DC)
Kelly Gastley '05 - Philadelphia VIP (Philadelphia, PA)
Rajdeep Jolly '06 - The Sikh Coalition (New York, NY)
Sarah Landres '08 - New Hampshire Public Defender (Dover, NH)
Alexis McLeod '07 - International Justice Mission (Mumbai, India)
Dathan Young '06 - Blue Ridge Legal Services (Harrisonburg, VA)