Public Interest Fellowship Program

PIFP_25th-Public-Interest-Auction-2022

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.

 2023 LRAP Application

Graduates of the 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Villanova Law classes are encouraged to apply for the 2023 Walter Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program Detta and Joseph Tate Repayment Assistance Program. To be eligible for LRAP, applicants must have secured employment in a public service career and accrued at least $75,000 total in student-loan debt. Preference is given to those who are employed with a non-profit organization or an organization that provides legal representation to criminal defendants. Please review the attached 2023 LRAP Application for additional eligibility requirements and instructions on how to complete the application. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 14, 2024. Please contact PIFP Vice President Jordyn Pace for questions or concerns.

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.

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 '24Caroline 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 23, 2024. Learn more about last year's Fellows and Register for 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 2024 Dean's Cup will be hosted by Penn Carely Law - University of Pennsylvania at The Palestra on Friday, March 22, 2024 from 12 - 4 PM. Villanova Law will face off against Drexel Law, Penn Law, and Temple Law. 

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