Public Interest Fellowship Program

The Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program (PIFP) at Villanova Law has provided financial support to students who commit their summers to public service legal work for over 25 years. Every year, Villanova students are inspired to share their talents and give back to their community through public service legal work. However, due to the financial restraints many public interest organizations face, students work in unpaid positions. From these circumstances, PIFP was born. PIFP, an entirely student-run organization, works tirelessly to provide summer fellowships to Villanova Law students, who, in turn, dedicate themselves to providing legal services to those who need it most. At PIFP, our fellows know the value of public interest law, and we are devoted to providing opportunities for students to experience meaningful, fulfilling work without fear of summer finances.

Since its founding in 1998, PIFP has raised over $1,000,000, supporting over 250 fellows with awards. The impact of PIFP has been felt worldwide, with Villanova students using their fellowships in over 130 organizations located across nineteen districts, fourteen states and five countries. 

Support PIFP

If you would like to support PIFP’s mission of providing meaningful opportunities for Villanova Law students to work alongside public interest organizations and deliver impactful legal aid to those who need it most, please consider making a tax-exempt monetary contribution.

Please consider sponsoring a fellow for

  • an hour ($15)
  • a day ($120)
  • a week ($600)
  • a month ($2,400)
  • an entire summer ($6,000)

If you have any questions about PIFP, public interest law or getting involved with the organization, please contact us.

MAKE A GIFT TO PIFP

PIFP would like to take a moment to thank all of our community partners and donors who generously contributed to this year’s auction! Please visit our partners’ websites below for more information!

          

2024–25 Executive Board

Co-directors: Riley Crouthamel '25 & Emily Dodds '25

Vice Director: Dave Goulden-Naitove '25

Auction Coordinators: Caroline Nelson '25 & Lauren Walsh '25

Solicitation Coordinators: Caitlin McElwee '26 & Gavin Tamer '26

Volunteer Coordinator: Alysse Danyi '26

Fellowship Coordinator: Cady Tobin '26

Secretary & Graphics Coordinator: Sydney Ryan '26

Treasurer: Allison Gherovici '25

Grants & Endowments Coordinator: Morgan Nash '26

Special Events Coordinator: Will Gale '26

Social Chair: Ryan Roe '25

Alumni Coordinator: Sadie Richardson '26

PIFP Committee: Maria Elisa Escobar '26; Colin Hopkins '26; Ry Stratton '26; Bryce Winterowd '26

Faculty Advisors: Doris Brogran & Ann Juliano

   

PIFP Events

The highlight of PIFP’s fundraising efforts is its annual spring auction, which in recent years has featured 250 to 300 silent and live auction items donated by individuals and businesses throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. We hope you’ll join us for this year’s auction on March 22, 2025. Learn more about last year's Fellows, Register for this year's Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program’s Annual Public Interest Auction. View the auction catalog and submit your bids!

If you have an item you would like to donate please complete the donation form in our solicitation packet.

This year's Dean's Cup will take place on April 18, 2025.

The Philadelphia Deans’ Cup is an annual charity basketball tournament designed to raise funds for the public interest organizations of participating local law schools.

The 2024 tournament featured Drexel Law, Penn Law, Temple Law and Villanova Law and was hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School at The Palestra on Friday, March 22. In game one, Villanova Law defeated Drexel Law in a thrilling overtime matchup. Despite a late-game comeback, Penn Law defeated Villanova Law in the finals. 

Villanova won the inaugural Deans' Cup game in 2011 and took the cup again in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019, when it hosted the competition.

    

PIFP Fellows

2024

  • Alysse Danyi ‘26
  • Caitlin McElwee ‘26
  • Maria Elisa Escobar ‘26
  • Allison Gherovici ‘25
  • Colin Hopkins ‘26
  • Arielle Jackson ‘26
  • Morgan Nash ‘26
  • Fiona Powell‘25
  • Sadie Richardson ‘26
  • Ryan Roe ‘25
  • Rachael Smith ‘25
  • Gavin Tamer ‘26
  • David Tilli ‘25
  • Cady Tobin ‘26
  • Lauren Walsh ‘25

2023

  • Casey Brogan ‘24
  • Andrea Solis Canto ‘25
  • Riley Crouthamel ‘25
  • Sofia Deihl ‘24
  • Emily Dodds ‘25
  • David Goulden-Naitove ‘25
  • Alannah King ‘24
  • Rachel Robles ‘25
  • Caela Russell ‘25
  • Anthony Ryback ‘25
  • Veronica Sansone ‘24
  • Julia Sullivan ‘25
  • Brooke Tyler ‘24
  • Jillian Updegraff ‘25
  • Nic Johnson ‘25

2022

  • Anderson Amaya '24
  • Kimberly Baxter '23
  • Victoria Stabile Bouvé '24
  • Riley Cook '23, Hacker Fellow
  • Laurel Enaco '24, Villanova Law Faculty & Staff Fellow
  • Michaela Kelly '24
  • Conor Mach '24
  • Leigh McLinden '23
  • Jordyn Pace '24
  • Madelyn Phinney '23
  • Julia Raith '24, Penny Pether Fellow
  • Eddie Reilingh '23
  • Caity Rogowski '24
  • Briana Smalley '23
  • Julia Stribula '24, Krasno, Krasno & Onwudinjo Fellow
  • Sarah Urie '24
  • Sadie Walker '24

2021

  • Taylor Bourguignon '23
  • Alicia Broderick '23, Penny Pether Fellow
  • Melissa Durante '23, Krasno, Krasno & Onwudinjo Fellow
  • Annalise Hodges '22
  • Juliette Mogenson '23
  • Destynee Speaks '23
  • Rachel Wolfman '23, Villanova Law Faculty & Staff Fellow
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Public Interest Fellowship Program
299 North Spring Mill Road
Villanova, PA 19085

Phone: 610-519-6163

 

Villanova University Charles Widger
School of Law
299 N. Spring Mill Rd.
Villanova, PA 19085
610-519-7000   Contact Law

Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, (312) 988-6738