The 2019-2020 PIFP Board would like to extend our warmest thanks to everyone who helped make our 23rd Annual Public Interest Auction a huge success! In total, we raised $36,795 at this year's auction. Thank you for continuing to support students who pursue public interest legal work.
Public Interest Fellowship Program
Overview
The Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program (PIFP) at Villanova University Charles Widger School of 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 $6,000 awards. The impact of PIFP has been felt worldwide with Villanova students using their fellowships in over 130 organizations located across nineteen different 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 Joseph and Detta Tate, provided loan repayment assistance to alumni. The Detta & 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.
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 Greater Philadelphia area. We hope you’ll join us for this year’s auction on March 25, 2023. Learn more about the Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program’s Annual Public Interest Auction.
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. If you have any questions about PIFP, public interest law, or would like to get involved with PIFP, please contact us.
2022–2023 Executive Board
Alicia Broderick ’23, Director
Rachel Wolfman ’23, Vice Director
Riley Cook ’23, Auction Coordinator
Michaela Kelly ’24 & Alannah King ’24, Solicitation Coordinators
Madelyn Phinney ’23, Eddie Reilingh ’23, Fellowship Coordinators
Laurel Enaco ’24 & Jordyn Pace ’24, Volunteer Coordinators
Julia Raith ‘24, Secretary & Communications
Julia Stribula ’24, Graphic Design Coordinator
Sadie Walker ‘24, Treasurer
Tia Brownmiller ’24 & Briana Smalley ’23, Special Events
Sarah Urie ’24, Alumni Coordinator
Melissa Durante ‘23, Conor Mach ’24 & Leigh McLinden ’23, Auction Committee
Andrea Solis Canto ’25, Riley Crouthamel ’25, Allison Gherovici ’25, Dave Goulden-Naitove ’25 & Lauren Walsh ’25, 1L Representatives
Ann Juliano & Doris Brogan, Faculty Advisors
26th Annual Public Interest Auction
Saturday, March 25, 2023
25th Annual Public Interest Auction
Saturday, March 26, 2022

24th Annual Public Interest Auction
Friday, March 26, 2021 at 6:00 pm

THE 23RD ANNUAL AUCTION



THE 2018 PIFP AUCTION
was held on March 23, 2018 and was a huge success. We raised a lot of money to support public interest fellowships!

The 2018 Walter Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program Auction
Comprised of both silent and live auctions, the event in recent years has featured 250 to 300 items donated by individuals and businesses throughout Greater Philadelphia and across the country including: lunch and golf foursomes with distinguished Villanova Law alumni, vacation stays, tickets to cultural and sporting events, and much more; and all proceeds go toward providing $4,500 fellowships to current students who commit their summers to performing public service legal work. PIFP also awards one $12,000 fellowship each year to a recent graduate who has committed to working full-time for a public service organization or governmental agency.
Founded in 1998, PIFP is a student-led organization dedicated to supporting student legal work in the public interest sector. Each year, volunteers work tirelessly to raise money to provide summer fellowships for their fellow students who otherwise would work in unpaid public interest positions. This work is critically important, not only to the public interest organizations with whom the fellows serve, but especially to the lives of low income individuals, the elderly, abused and neglected children, victims of discrimination, people with disabilities, and other members of our society in need of legal advocates. See the Recipients tab for a list of this year's Fellows and their positions.
Please join PIFP in helping public interest organizations deliver volunteer legal services to those in need throughout the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond!
Monetary Donations
We appreciate donations in any amount. Please consider sponsoring a fellow for an hour ($11.25), a day ($90), a week ($450), a month ($1800), or an entire summer ($4500).
You can make a monetary donation online by clicking here and designating your gift to the Walter A. Lucas '88 Public Interest Fellowship Program, or by sending a check payable to "Villanova University" with "PIFP" in the memo line to:
Public Interest Fellowship Program
Villanova University School of Law
299 North Spring Mill Road
Villanova, PA 19085



The 2019 Deans' Cup at the Villanova University
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 will feature Drexel Law, Penn Law, Temple Law and Villanova Law.
The 2019 Dean's Cup was held at the Jake Nevin Field House (800 E. Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085) at Villanova University on Friday, March 29, 2019 at 6:00pm. 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 again in 2017. Let's keep that trophy in 2020!

Upcoming Events

Past Events






5th Annual Public Interest 5K

A huge "Thank You" goes out to Krasno, Krasno, & Onwudinjo for their continued, generous sponsorship of the Public Interest 5K!
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law - October 20, 2018
Current students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members joined together on a 5K Race/Fun-Run through Villanova's campus. All proceeds from the run will be applied to 2018 PIFP Summer Fellowships. The Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program at Villanova Law School provides funding for law students working in unpaid public interest positions during the summer.
2018 Dean's Cup at University of Pennsylvania
Friday, April 6, 2018
For more details, see the Dean's Cup tab above.

The 21st Annual Villanova University
Charles Widger School of Law
Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program Auction
Friday, March 23, 2018

A huge "Thank You" goes out to Krasno, Krasno, & Onwudinjo for their continued, generous sponsorship of the Public Interest 5K!
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law - October 21, 2017
Current students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members joined together on a 5K Race/Fun-Run through Villanova's campus. All proceeds from the run will be applied to 2018 PIFP Summer Fellowships. The Walter A. Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program at Villanova Law School provides funding for law students working in unpaid public interest positions during the summer.
Good Grief! A Very Charlie Brown Trivia Night
Flip & Bailey's - November 17, 2016
All proceeds went to the Public Interest Fellowship Program.

Krasno, Krasno, & Onwudinjo Public Interest 5 K
November 5, 2016 - Villanova Law Front Lawn
9 AM

Talent Show
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
7 PM
Ardmore Music Hall


Krasno, Krasno & Onwudinjo Public Interest 5K Run/Walk
2022 PIFP Fellows
- 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 PIFP Fellows
PIFP would like to take a moment to thank all of our community partners and donors who have already generously contributed to this year’s auction! This list will be updated as we continue to receive donations for the 2023 auction. Please visit our partners’ websites below for more information!
- The Edge Fitness Club
- Athleta - Bryn Mawr
- bluemercury - Bryn Mawr
- Bryn Mawr Running Company
- Bra Spectrum
- Bywood Seafood Market
- Bliss Nail and Spa
- The Goat's Beard - Wayne
- The Tiger Shop
- bluemercury - Ardmore
- Pizzi's Pizza & Beer
- Bulldog Yoga - Villanova
- Pet Friendly Dog Bakery
- The Couch Tomato Café - Manayunk
- Manayunk Tavern
- Sulimay's Salon & Barber Studio - Manayunk
- The Night Kitchen Bakery & Cafe
- Antonella's Italian Kitchen
- Natural Hair
- Ruh Ro's
- Tony & Joe's Pizza
- Xtra Boutique - Conshohocken
- CYCLEBAR
- Wawa
- North Italia - King of Prussia
- Oath Pizza - Ardmore
- Kilwins - Ardmore
- Mudroom Studio
- Rouge Hair Boutique
- Gypsy Saloon
- Lilly Pulitzer - Ardmore
- Conshy Girls Restaurant Group
- Richard Nicholas Hair Studio
- Anne Cook
- Bittersweet Kitchen
- Pizza Time Restaurant
- Trader Joe's - Media
- The Couch Tomato Café - Conshohocken
- Kiss Floral LLC
- Coll's Custom Framing
- Salon & Spa by Kimberly Gider
- Penny's by Plaza Flowers
- Dreams Ice Cream
- Occasions Boutique
- Campli Photography
- John Fish & Son Jewelers
- Devon Lanes
- Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet
- California Pizza Kitchen - King of Prussia
- bluemercury - Ardmore
- Princess Nails
- Befitting Bicycles
- Threads Marketplace - Phoenixville
- Seamless Sewing Arts
- North Wales Running Company
- All Kinds of Fast - Phoenixville
- Eileen Fisher
- barre3 - Rosemont
- barre3 - Berwyn
- La Bella Moda
- Bryn Mawr Running Company - West Chester
- Valentine Chocolate Co.
- Showcase Comics
- Jansen
- Custom Bagels
- Pinocchio's
- Marilyn Schiff, LLC
- Spasso Italian Grill - Media
- Stephen's on State
- Fellini Cafe of Media
- Janice Martin Couture
- HomeCooked - Paoli
- Villanova University Athletics Ticket Office
- Professor Lori Corso
- Professor David Caudill
- Professor Michelle Dempsey
- Bo Connell
- Dean Michael Risch
- Professor MarySheila McDonald
- Professor Amy Emerson
- Cosimo's Pizza Café
- Chill on the Hill
- The Capital Grille - Philadelphia
- Professor Mary DeFusco
- Malvern Buttery
- Humpty's Dumplings - Glenside
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Kendra Scott - Ardmore
- Honeygrow - Radnor
- Frankie's Fellini Cafe
- bartaco - King of Prussia
- 245 North Gallery
- Darci Henry Beauty - Malvern
- Philadelphia Chamber Music Society
- SoulCycle - Ardmore
- Longwood Gardens
- Jules Thin Crust - Wayne
- Robertson's Flowers - Chestnut Hill
- Main Point Books
- Veronica Sansone
- Children's Book World
- illuminate Salon Spa
- Grim Philly Ghost and History Tours
- Professor Steven Chanenson
- Professor Chaim Saiman
- Bryn Mawr Film Institute
- Gullifty's
- Kelly's Taproom
- Kimberton Whole Foods - Malvern
- Jaco Juice and Taco Bar - Media
- John's Grille
- Seven Stones Gallery
- rye byob
- StudioFlora by Chrissy Custom Floral Design
- Philadelphia School of Circus Arts
- Artisans on the Avenue
- Zipf's Candies
- Professor Lee Rosengard
- Professor Thomas Bennett
- Let's Roam: Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Theatre Company
- Starbucks - Devon
- Janine Dunlap-Kiah
- JD McGillicuddy's - Manayunk
- Pat Lavin
- Main Line Cycles
- Jersey Mike's Subs - Radnor
- Co Chic Boutique
- Caity Rogowski
- Starbucks - Bryn Mawr
- Play-a-Round Golf - Ardmore
- Remix on Main
- Fred Astaire Dance Studios - Wayne
- The Rafter Family
- Victoria Alexitch
- Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings - Wynnewood
- Threads Marketplace
- Philly Cheesesteaks
- Playa Bowls - Villanova
- barbri
- The Grog Grill
- Hope's Cookies - Rosemont
- The Artist's Loft
- Professor Ann Juliano
- Professor Doris Brogan
- Villanova Law Library
- Professor Itay Ravid
- Home Grown
- Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
- Corporate Law Society
- Edward Stephen
- American Trench
- The Lash Lounge
- Lucky Duck Toys
- Barry's Buns - Philadelphia
- Latrice Fashion
- MetroTans
- Creative Way Needlepoint
- Focus Bryn Mawr
- Winger's
- The Wilma Theater
- Not Your Average Joe's
- Opera Philadelphia
- ME•CHAN•IC / bicycle pro shop
- Zesto Pizza & Grill
- JT Wilder BBQ
- Professor Emily Stolzenberg
- Alicia Broderick
- Professor Amy Spare
- Villanova Law Office of Development and Alumni Relations