Ave Maria Law Dean's Newsletter A Look at April 2019

St. Thomas More Internal Moot Court Competition: Abdool Khaleel, Jerry Berry, Esq., Sarah Sulsona ’18, Judge Michael J. Brown, Thomas De Maio '20, Micharon Byrd '19, Marina Moussa ’20, Colleen McInerney ‘20

The month of April is a time when our academic year winds down. Classes have ended and students are taking their final exams.   We’re praying that our first and second year students finish the year strong and come back invigorated for a new school year. Our third year students are preparing for their Commencement on May 11th. Soon they will be out in the world living their mission in the field of law.    I’m proud of every single person who is a part of our Ave Maria Law community.   I’ll leave you with a verse from Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”   God bless you, Kevin Cieply President and Dean

SWEARING IN CEREMONY

Kelly Sifford ’18, Judge Frazier, Nina Llerena ’17, Anthony Casimini ’18, Dean Cieply

We held a Florida Bar Induction Ceremony on campus for some of our most recent Ave Law bar takers who passed the bar exam in February 2019. Administering the oath was The Honorable Douglas N. Frazier, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Florida. Congratulations to the following individuals who were sworn in during the ceremony: Anthony Casimini '18 Nina Llerena '17 Kelly Sifford '18 A special thank you to Judge Frazier for being with us and supporting our school. Thank you to Joshua Molandes, Esq., Ave Maria Law alumnus Class of 2014, for taking the time to speak with our alumni on this very important day.   Finally, thank you to our Alumni Affairs office for orchestrating this event.

On the Other Side of Town...

Ryan Pomponio, Class of 2017 , was sworn in after passing the February 2019 bar exam. Ryan began his internship with the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Second District in 2016 and has continued to work hard now passing the Florida Bar and being sworn in as an attorney to work in the same office. Ryan has been under the guidance of Ms. Ita Neymotin Regional Counsel. She had a vision for him and he continues to grow in her leadership.

Ryan Pomponio being sworn-in.

Ryan Pomponio celebrating with his support system.

St. Thomas More 1L Oral Advocacy Competition

(L to R: Dean Cieply, Evelyn Hildebrand '20, Daniel Korycki '20, Mary Parent '12, Sofia McDaniel '21, Andrew Hocott '21, Professor Daniella Palmiotto, Dean Emeritus Eugene Milhizer)

The Nineteenth Annual St. Thomas More 1L (first-year) Oral Advocacy Competition was a great success this year. Finals consisted of the following Class of 2021 competitors: Austin Carroll, Jonathan Fitzmaurice, Paula Hughes, and Kurstin Phelps. The three-judge panel selected Ms. Phelps as the best oralist. Additionally, Evelyn Hildebrand received the best brief award for the best brief from 2018. Please join me in congratulating both Ms. Phelps and Ms. Hildebrand.  Other Class of 2021 award recipients: Semi Finalists: Madeleine Gantzer  James Hockel James Kelleher Joseph Sobecki Quarter Finalists: Christine Francoeur Kiara Ibanez Matthew Stauffer Michael Zivik Honorable Mention: Brittany Blocker  Kathleen Bryan  Danielle Crowley Colleen Damrath Katherine Holbrook Brandon Karas Mettlyn McCaskill Sofia McDaniel Christina Miller Danielle Parliament Christina Roldan Scott Sergeant Thank you to the Research, Writing and Advocacy (RWA) team for mentoring these students toward their successes and hosting such a successful event. Thank you to all of the first-year students for all of their hard work and for putting their best foot forward during the arguments.

St. Thomas More INTERNAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION

Finalists Thomas De Maio ‘20, Micharon Byrd ‘19, Colleen McInerney ‘20 and Marina Moussa ‘20

Winners Colleen McInerney ‘20 & Marina Moussa ‘20

The 2019 St. Thomas More Internal Trial Competition was a success. Congratulations to the winning team: Marina Moussa '20 and Colleen McInerney '20! Marina Moussa won for Best Oralist. In the final round they competed against Thomas De Maio '20 and Micharon Byrd '19. The final round of the competition was presided over by the Honorable Judge Michael J. Brown, Collier County Judge, and was scored by scoring judges: Abdool Khaleel from the 20th Judicial Circuit's Public Defender's Office, Sarah Sulsona '18 from the 20th Judicial Circuit's State Attorney's Office, and Jerry Berry, Esq. Congratulations to all of our competitors for a job well done: Marina Moussa '20, Colleen McInerney '20, Thomas De Maio '20, Micharon Byrd '19, Maxine Desir '20, Dennis Hughes '19, David Idler '20, Melissa Alvarez '20, William Gates '19, Stefan Groening '19, Anita Abraham '19, and Laura Booth '19. Thank you to the Moot Court Board. Thank you to Giselle Guzman, VP of Internal Competitions, and to Professor Mark Bonner for supporting the Moot Court Board as their Faculty Advisor. (See Masthead photo for an additional event photo.)

END OF YEAR BBQ WITH PRO BONO AWARDS

Pro Bono Award Recipients w/Dean Cieply: Dean Cieply, Alexis Touras ‘19, Diego Gil ‘19, Alexis Forte ‘19, Cara Covato ‘19, Anita Abraham ‘19

Ave Law Community enjoying an afternoon BBQ

Students, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate another successful school year at our annual end of the year BBQ.   The following Class of 2019 students were recognized for their selfless service to others in the legal field: Anita Abraham Cara Covato Alexis Forte Diego Gil Alexis Touras Lorena Maturino Dustin Sedor   The Pro Bono Recognition Program honors those Ave Maria Law students who have dedicated more than 50 hours to underserved populations and individuals or families. The charitable work undertaken by these students puts the Catholic teaching on faith and morals into action, and inspires us to work towards the greater good of all.

Restoration of the Chapel of St. Thérèse of the Little Flower

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Dean Cieply, Mrs. and Mr. Klaas, Monsignor McGrath

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Chaplain Msgr. McGrath blessed the newly renovated Chapel of St. Thérèse of the Little Flower. Ave Maria Law is extremely grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Klaas for their generosity in renovating our school’s chapel. Work completed included new flooring, an updated sound-proof entrance door, refurbished pews with a new center aisle, gold draping, and a painting of St. Thomas, the Apostle, encountering the risen Christ. Thank you to Monsignor, Mr. and Mrs. Klaas and Dean Kaye Castro for being such an integral part of this project.

FACULTY IN THE NEWS

Immigration Talks

Professor Kevin Govern, Professor Timothy Tracey, Sister Maureen Kelleher, Jacqueline Coronel ‘20

The Federalist Society and Immigration Law Society packed Commons 110 on April 8th for Ave Law Immigration Talks. Attendees came for the insights of Sister Maureen Kelleher from Legal Aid, Professor Tracey and Professor Govern to discuss what we as Catholics should consider regarding people who come to this country as immigrants. What does the Church say about immigration? Which cases and statutes help shape past and current immigration policy, and what can and should be the way ahead from the perspective of Catholic lawyers?

Equality and Non-discrimination

Professor Jane Adolphe, expert with the Holy See, Secretariat of State, Section for Relations with States, along with Michael Vacca '10, Ave Law alumnus who has worked for the Holy See, were editors for a book recently published titled, “Equality and Non-discrimination – Catholic Roots, Current Challenges.” Professor Brian Scarnecchia and alumnus Geoffrey Strickland '09 were contributing authors. This volume explores ways of understanding equality and non-discrimination.

“A fresh insight into concepts of human dignity and equality from world-renowned experts. A must-read for those seeking a better understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity, and discrimination issues under international law and Catholic teaching.” – Professor Ligia Castaldi

Society of Catholic Social Scientists Spring Conference

Professor Richard Myers at the podium, Professors Brian Scarnecchia, Ligia Castaldi and Jane Adolphe on the panel

Ave Law hosted a conference on campus, “Law, Politics, and Culture as seen through the lens of Catholic Social Thought.” The panel included Professor Ligia Castaldi, Professor Jane Adolphe, and Professor Brian Scarnecchia. Other speakers included alumnus Joshua McCaig '03, Ave Law Board Member Ronald Rychlak, Kevin Schmiesing from the Acton Institute, Cecilia Castillo from Texas State University-San Marcos, and Steven Mosher from the Population Research Institute. Educated topics ranged from  Life Issues in the International Forum, International Environmental Law, The Historical Context of Current Threats to Church Property Rights,  and  Soviet Disinformation and the Attack on Western Values.

CULTURE OF LIFE SYMPOSIUM

The Culture of Life Institute at Ave Maria School of Law hosted a special presentation on campus with Dr. William B. Hurlbut, MD, Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Scholar in Neurobiology at the Stanford Medical School. Dr. Hurlbut is a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics, in which he shared his expertise on the subject. He is known for his advocacy of Altered Nuclear Transfer, a scientific method of obtaining pluripotent stem cells without the creation and destruction of human embryos.

BENEFITS OF A MOCK INTERVIEW

We received exciting news from Jonathan Fitzmaurice, a current student from Class of 2021, who participated in our recent mock interview program on campus hosted by our Career Services Office. Jonathan received a summer 2019 judicial internship offer from a Collier County 20 th Judicial Circuit Court judge. The importance of networking and participating in various programming such as mock interviews, roundtables and the informational fairs that bring multiple practitioners on campus is a crucial component to success. This is the second student who received an offer during our March 2019 mock interviews. “A few weeks ago I mock-interviewed with Judge Robert Crown. The mock-interview lead to Judge Crown extending me an offer for a judicial internship/externship with him this summer at the 20 th Judicial Circuit Court in Collier County. I accepted his offer earlier this week." - Jonathan Fitzmaurice '21

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - JOSHUA MOLANDES

Joshua Molandes , Class of 2014, is currently serving as the Alumni Association Board President. In this role, he made a promise to his fellow alumni to bring the alumni community together in a bigger way. He wants to garner enthusiasm for investing in their alma mater. He, along with the alumni board, are going to officially announce and kick-off a peer-to-peer alumni fundraising campaign in May called “Ave Alumni Unite.” This campaign will raise money to build a community gathering area on campus where all will be welcome. A place where students, alumni, family and friends can connect to relax and decompress. Have a laugh. Throw burgers on the BBQ. Come together. A sense of belonging is a highlight of being a part of Ave Law’s campus.   Q: Josh, what do you enjoy most about being the current Alumni Board President? A: In my current role, I am able to make a direct impact on campus and bring current alumni together. I enjoy engaging current students as well as alumni and this position allows me to attend different events on campus and to speak directly to students in a group setting as well as one-on-one. I feel it is tremendously impactful for students to hear from alumni who have gone through the process and to see that they can do the same. Additionally, I fully believe in what Ave Law has to offer; Ave has changed my life and the lives of my countless clients who I have the tools to serve because of Ave Law. Now I want to bring the alumni together to give back. I ran for President on the idea that our alumni are some of the best in the Nation and as a group should be making a financial impact on campus.   The school is doing their part with major renovations taking part on campus. As a group, the alumni are coming together with the Ave Alumni Unite Campaign to add to what the school is doing.  Q: In leading this campaign, you are fulfilling one of your goals to raise money for the law school. What do you feel are the benefits of bringing the alumni together in this way? A: I think most of the impact will be felt by the current students and the ones to come. As an alumni group, we are making our mark on campus. It shows a sign of strength and accomplishment; something the current and future students can recognize as coming from their alumni. They will know the Ave process works. That they too can graduate, take and pass the bar, and be successful enough in life to give back. Q: How do you envision this community gathering area being used once the money is raised to build it? A: I see it as an outdoor space that can be used by current students, family, faculty, and alumni to relax on campus. To give alumni a place to come home to; something on campus to be proud of. Additionally, I expect that it will be used for potential students when they tour our campus; to allow them to see the success of our current alumni which will encourage them to attend our great school.   Q: You are certainly an alumnus who is invested in the future of your law school. Why is this so important to you? A: Ave Law has changed my life. The JD I earned from Ave has opened many doors for me and given my family a lifestyle that I could not have provided otherwise. I speak with Dean Cieply monthly and I know he gives his all for our alma mater. As I have grown in the legal community both in Lee County and Collier County, Florida, I see the impact the school is making. We are beginning to “take over” the area and as more and more quality attorneys are produced and those who are already out here begin to gain partnerships in their respective firms, the schools notoriety will only continue to grow. It is an exciting time to be an Ave Law graduate.

Mind + Body + Spirit

Professor Kirk Miller, Associate Dean Maureen Milliron, Dean Kaye Castro, Kristy Kryszczak, Heidi Roderick, Frank Mahoney, Associate Dean Claire O’Keefe, Pam Kramer, Val Oliver, Ed Neebling, Dean Cieply (Graduates not pictured: Donna Heiser, Monsignor Frank McGrath)

CHIP, the Complete Health Improvement Program, was founded by the Lifestyle Medicine Institute. We’re the first-ever law school in the world to implement this program on campus. Facilitated by our Director of Health & Wellness Heidi Roderick, there were eleven participants consisting of faculty and staff in our inaugural class. The twelve-week program deemed successful by our group and I’m proud. As a whole, weight was lost, cholesterol was lowered and blood sugars were normalized. We’re all working to take small steps to make our lives a little healthier, one day at a time. Thank you to Heidi Roderick for being our fearless leader and to Frank Mahoney for being a support to us. Frank is a successful CHIP program graduate.   We plan to continue this program on an on-going basis and it will be offered to faculty, staff, and students throughout the year. It’s a part of our bigger Mind + Body + Spirit Health & Wellness initiative.

ADMISSIONS CORNER

Applications are open through July 15th for our Fall 2019 start date. If you or anyone you know is interested in beginning your journey in law school, learn more on our Admissions website .   You may reach our Admissions team directly by calling 239-687-5420 or via email at info@avemarialaw.edu .

Quote of the Month

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined." -Henry David Thoreau

Did You Know?

For the fourth straight year, the Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island metro area had the highest well-being score across 156 U.S. communities , up from 73rd just eight years ago!

VETERANS CORNER

Honoring William Schoen and His Family

Lazaro Lopez ‘21 , William Schoen, Board Member Tom Garlick, Diego Gil ‘19, Frantz Michel ‘21, and Daniel Short ‘21

We honored U.S. Veteran Mr. William Schoen on campus. Mr. Schoen and his wife Sharon donated one million dollars to our law school for a Veteran Endowed Scholarship. The memory of Mr. Schoen’s brother in the service, CPO2 Conrad Schoen, U.S. Navy, 1940-1945, now lives on a plaque on our Wall of Honor in the Veterans Memorial Law Library. Myself, the Development team staff and a few of our Veteran students joined the celebration.

Honor Your Veteran with a Lasting Legacy on the Veterans Wall of Honor  Reserve your plaque to prominently display the name and rank of a fallen hero, veteran, or those currently serving our nation on the Wall of Honor in Ave Maria Law’s Veterans Memorial Law Library.Your gift will benefit full scholarships for veterans and other deserving students.

Call: 239-687-5405 or visit: http://veterans-project.avemarialaw.edu/honor-a-veteran/

Veteran Legacies at Ave Law is a video tribute project that officially launched on December 7, 2017 during our Second Annual Veterans Memorial Celebration on campus. Veteran Legacies is meant to capture the essence of our fellow veterans and honor each of their experiences served in our country’s military service. Interviews range from student veterans, alumni veterans, staff and faculty veterans, Board of Governors veterans, friends and family of veterans and veterans right here in our Ave Law Community.   To learn more about the project, please contact Kristy Kryszczak, Director of Marketing and Communications/Editorial Director, at 239-687-5404, kkryszczak@avemarialaw.edu .

CAMPUS NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

We have many naming opportunities on campus that offer a meaningful way to support Ave Maria Law while honoring and commemorating someone or something important in your life. Please review this list of Campus Naming Opportunities and if you are interested in learning more, contact Donna Heiser, Chief Advancement and External Affairs Officer at 239-687-5405 or dheiser@avemarialaw.edu . View Naming Opportunities here .

Commencement Weekend 2019

MAY 10-11, 2019 To learn more details about Commencement weekend schedule, please visit here .

 Eve Kosciuszko is the Class of 2019 Student Commencement Speaker.

Eve is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Naples in 2005. She graduated summa cum laude from Hodges University with her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Marketing. Eve enjoyed a successful career for eight years in the SWFL senior aging and health care industry. From this experience, Eve wanted to make a difference and decided to pursue her life-long calling to be an attorney. While at Ave Maria Law, Eve was a judicial intern clerk to the Honorable Sheri Polster Chappell and to the Honorable Mac R. McCoy, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division. As a 1L, Eve won best oralist of the St. Thomas More Oral Advocacy Competition. Then, as a 2L Moot Court Board Member, Eve won the Robert H. Bork Appellate Team Competition and Best Brief. In her 3L year, Eve served as an Associate Editor on the Ave Maria Law Review, Secretary of the Ave Chapter Federalist Society, and as a Dean's Delegate. Eve also represents Ave Maria Law as the student board member of the SWFL Federal Court Bar Association.

We're thrilled to welcome former American Football Star and Pro-Life Advocate Matt Birk to give Ave Maria Law's Class of 2019 Commencement address speech on May 11. Birk is a  pro-life  activist. His wife volunteers at a  crisis pregnancy center  and he participated in the Maryland March for Life in 2011. He is a devout Catholic  and father of eight.

If you have a story idea or you are interested in being featured in the Dean’s Newsletter, please contact Kristy Kryszczak at kkryszczak@avemarialaw.edu .

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Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, license number 4007. Fully accredited by the American Bar Association. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Consumer-Services , 1-800-435-7352.   Ave Maria School of Law recognizes the inherent value and dignity of all members of the human family. It values equal opportunity and seeks racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity. The Law School does not preclude admission or retention of students or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a veteran or disabled veteran. The Law School maintains its Catholic character but is open to persons of all religious faiths who respect the goals of Ave Maria School of Law and whose conduct does not undermine the Law School’s religious goals or compromise its Catholic identity.