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Summer Public Interest Funding Growing at Vanderbilt [by Erica Winter] How much would you pay to be Dean of your law school for a day? One Vanderbilt University Law School student paid $1,000 for the privilege when he made the winning bid to be “Dean for a Day,” one of the more high-profile items at the Legal Aid Society’s auction benefiting the Public Interest Stipend Fund, which helps students to do unpaid or low-paying public interest summer work.
The “Dean”/student, who enlisted his friends’
work, and also volunteering with groups like
giveness funds, Vanderbilt Law’s are notable
aid to up the ante and win the bidding for
Habitat for Humanity. The society has been
due to their recent dramatic growth.
the popular offer, was not, in fact, allowed
running the public interest stipend fund for
to cancel exams this year, explains Amanda
about 15 years, says Kay.
In past years, for example, the auction fund-
and led the auction effort. The student did
The purpose of the stipend fund, says
and guests departed from the party. This
get to park in the Dean’s parking space, and
Schlager, who will be heading up the student-
year, following the auction, Professor Kay
have a meeting with the law school’s board of
run Legal Aid Society next year, is so a stu-
received an email with surprising and un-
directors, she says.
dent does not have to leave behind a public
expected news. Vanderbilt Law’s new Dean,
interest opportunity for financial reasons.
Edward Rubin, told Kay he would match the
Other items up for bid included donations
And, it’s “the law school’s way of showing
money raised at the auction, doubling it to
from professors, such as home-cooked
how great these jobs are,” she says.
$34,000.00 right on the spot.
games, as well as gifts from local busi-
The auction is just one part of the fundraising
The cash infusion allowed the stipend fund to
nesses, such as nights in hotels or tickets
effort on campus, an effort which is growing
give money to more students, bringing the to-
to performances at Opryland (which, like the
in leaps and bounds this year. Law students,
tal number of beneficiaries up from nine to 20
law school, is in Nashville). Local restaurants
in addition to bidding on big and smaller-tick-
students who received whole or half stipends
donated food, and two popular professors
et items at the auction, can make individual
this summer. A whole stipend came to $5,000
emceed the evening. The event was “really
donations through the “Donate a Day” pro-
this summer, requiring 10 weeks of work with
boisterous,” says Schlager.
gram. Students who are earning high salaries
an organization; a half stipend requires at
as summer associates in law firms can give
least five weeks of work.
Schlager, who will be a third-year in the fall,
raising total ended after the tables cleared
meals, or tickets to professional football
The organization of all this was time-con-
one day’s worth of pay to the stipend fund.
suming; “everything was done by students,”
Currently, the stipend recipient area selected
says Schlager. The outcome was well worth
The “Donate a Day” fundraising effort benefits
by the Legal Aid Society’s board, exempt-
it. The auction for this year’s summer sti-
the next year’s summer stipends, since most
ing any board member who is applying, says
pends raised over $17,000.00 for the fund.
of these donors make their gifts at the end of
Schlager. Most applicants for the stipends
their summer jobs. This summer’s pledges,
are finishing up their first years of law school.
The fund “involves the whole law school com-
to be used for next year’s summer stipends,
Some applicants and recipients are finishing
munity,” says Susan Kay, Associate Dean for
exceed $20,000.00 says Kay.
up their second years of law school, and are intending to make working in the public inter-
Clinical Affairs at Vanderbilt Law, and advisor to the Legal Aid Society. The auction itself,
For those who choose to go into public inter-
est arena their careers. Even with the influx
from donations to bidders, “brings the law
est jobs for their legal careers after gradua-
of money this year, not all applicants were
school together,” she adds.
tion, Vanderbilt’s Loan Repayment Assistance
given stipends.
Program (LRAP) helps them with 50% loan The Legal Aid Society has been around for at
forgiveness for those who have jobs and
Before applying for the stipend students must
least 35 years, says Kay. It raises money for
income levels that qualify.
secure jobs, which do not have to be in the
the stipend fund, and also organizes volun-
Nashville area. Groups students work with
teer opportunities for law students during the
While other law schools have public interest
run the gamut; “we have everything,” says
academic year, such as doing pro bono legal
auctions, “donate a day” programs, loan for-
Schlager. One person went to the Philip-
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pines to work with an aid organization there, another works with an organization for the homeless in Washington, D.C., another student is with a group that represents whistleblowers at nuclear facilities. Doing this work over the summers is beneficial to any law student, says Kay. And for those who want to go into public interest work for a career, spending the summer working with public interest organizations “indicates your commitment” to the field.
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