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CHARLES WIDGER SCHOOL OF LAW

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. PIFP’s efforts don’t stop with current students either. This year marked the seventeenth consecutive year that PIFP, with the generous support of Detta and Joseph Tate, provided loan repayment assistance to alumni. The JDetta and Joseph Tate Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) provides a $15,000 award, paid over three years, to two recent graduates committed to working for a public interest organization or governmental agency.

PIFP_25th-Public-Interest-Auction-2022

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!

          

2023–24 Executive Board

Michaela Kelly '24, & Alannah King '24, Co Presidents

Jordyn Pace '24, Vice President

Alison Gherovici '25, Treasurer

Riley Crouthamel '25, Secretary

Laurel Enaco '24 & Julia Stribula '25, Co-Auctions Coordinators

Anthony Ryback '25 & Andrea Solis Canto '25, Co-Solicitation Coordinators 

Lauren Walsh '25, Volunteer Coordinator

Dave Goulden-Naitove '25, Fellowship Coordinator

Catie Barry '24 & Tia Brownmiller '24, Special Events Coordinator

Emily Dodds '25, Social Chair

Sarah Urie '24, Alumni Coordinator

Sofia Deihl '24, Caroline Nelson '25 & Jillian Updegraff '25, PIFP Committee

Doris Brogran & Ann Juliano, Faculty Advisors

   

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 25, 2023. Learn more about this year's Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program’s Annual Public Interest Auction.

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

public-interest-auction-2022

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

The 2019 tournament featured Drexel Law, Penn Law, Temple Law and Villanova Law. It was held at the Jake Nevin Field House at Villanova University on Friday, March 29. Game 1: Drexel vs. Temple and Penn vs. Villanova; Game 2: Winners competed for the championship, with Villanova coming out on top as 2019 champions!

Villanova won the inaugural Dean's Cup game in 2011, Temple was victorious in 2012, and Villanova took the Cup in 2013, 2014 & 2015. Temple won the Dean's Cup in 2016 and in 2017.

PIFP_2019DeansCup

   

PIFP Fellows

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

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