Student Awards
Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2023 Student Awards!
Welcome
It is our great honor to celebrate the achievements and hard work of our students and student leaders at Denver Law. This year we celebrate our students for outstanding leadership, academic achievement, prolific writing, acute lawyering skills, zealous advocacy, and overall positive contribution to the law school. Each year, outstanding students leave a lasting impact on our law school community. We are ever-so-proud of our students and cannot thank them enough for their contributions to the Sturm College of Law.
Please join us in celebrating our 2023 Student Awards recipients by reading our digital program and viewing video remarks celebrating these students’ achievements.
Congratulations!
Student Achievement Awards
Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute Annual Prize
Each year, the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute recognizes excellent students who demonstrate outstanding potential for impact in the sustainable development field. This award is given to the student(s) who make significant contributions to the work of RMLUI and the field of land use law. The cash prize is generously funded by Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti.
Darah Fuller ∙ Matthew Nilsen
Leonard v.B. Sutton Award
This award is for the best paper in international law and consists of a cash award and the opportunity to attend the Hague Academy of International Law this summer.
Marlene Pierce ∙ Sophia Vander Kooy
Irving P. Andrews Award for Outstanding Law Graduate
The late Irving P. Andrews was one of the most talented trial attorneys in Colorado. He was highly regarded for his masterful oratorical skills, keen intellect, commitment to excellence, strong dedication to under-served populations and an undying love of the law. The Sam Cary Bar Association established this award in the name of Irving P. Andrews to honor a law graduate who has demonstrated academic excellence, professionalism, integrity and respect for the rule of law.
Troi Davis
Public Good Distinction
The Public Good Distinction is an honor that Denver Law awards graduating students based upon their demonstrated commitment to public interest law throughout their legal education. Students devote at least 16 credits to public interest coursework and participate in a capstone course in their final year. This is the inaugural year of the distinction.
Rachael Adkins | Chuck Alcock | Kathryn Banuelos | Daphne Barrera | Allyson Beyer | Christina Boyle |
Kayla Choun | Isabel Dufford | Stephen Ferry | Gabrielle Gile | Rebecca Glenn | Sonia Gomez |
Matthew Knaster | Benjamin McCarthy | Rena Meisler | Matthew Nilsen | Madeline Rodgers | Joseph Rosales |
Katherine Rosner | Guy Sack | Samantha Saverin | Raelyn Schnappauf | Bryan Stacy | Jennifer Sturman |
Aleela Taylor | Jordan Thornlow | Juliana Todeschi | Jennifer Tuttle | Liliana Vior Espalter | Caitlyn Wallace |
Cora Weatherford | Rachael Willihnganz | Rachel Wilson |
Experiential Awards
Outstanding Student Lawyer – Advancing Social Change Clinic
Jennifer Lavoie ∙ Marissa Olivas ∙ Misty Schlabaugh
Outstanding Student Lawyer – Civil Rights Clinic
Kate Berry ∙ Audrey Oliver
Outstanding Student Lawyer – Criminal Defense Clinic
Killean Carter ∙ Eliz Espinoza ∙ Dylan Fair ∙ Claire Johnson ∙ Haley Macha ∙ Luke Meidel ∙ Andrew Peterson
Outstanding Student Lawyer – Environmental Law Clinic
Mohammed Aliraani ∙ Carolyn Fergus-Callahan ∙ Rachel Sigman
Outstanding Student Lawyer – Immigration Law & Policy Clinic
Annika Winans
Outstanding Student in a Private-Sector Externship
This award is given to a student who has demonstrated excellence in an externship with a private firm. The recipient has engaged in critical reflection about the legal profession, their legal career, and their priorities and values as a lawyer and as an individual. In addition, this student has produced high-quality work in the field, and has demonstrated professionalism and a strong work ethic.
Juliana Todeschi
Outstanding Student in a Public-Sector Externship
This award is given to a student who has demonstrated excellence in an externship with a nonprofit organization or government agency or entity. The recipient has engaged in critical reflection about the legal profession, their legal career, and their priorities and values as a lawyer and as an individual. In addition, this student has produced high-quality work in the field, and has demonstrated professionalism and a strong work ethic.
Maggie Palmer
Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution
The students receiving this award are recognized for their outstanding skills in the areas of advocacy in international arbitration, client counseling, mediation, and mediation advocacy.
Tyler Davis ∙ Keila Garcia ∙ Erin Kennedy ∙ Malie Minton ∙ Jessica Perkins ∙ Brittany Phouinh
Excellence in Transactional Skills
This award recognizes those students who have demonstrated a clear understanding and achievement of the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as a business lawyer in a transactional law practice. In particular, students will have attained general corporate law knowledge, corporate drafting skills, merger and acquisition knowledge, financial literacy, negotiation skills, and critical deal skills.
Ryann Patton Connell
LLM and Masters Programs Awards
Outstanding Master of Science in Legal Administration Graduate
This award is presented to a graduating student in the Master of Science in Legal Administration program for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.
Winrich Cruz
Outstanding Master of Legal Studies Graduate
This award is presented to a graduating student in the Master of Legal Studies program for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.
Valerie Jean Scott
Outstanding International Business Transactions LLM Graduate Award
This award is presented to a graduating student in the International Business Transactions LLM Graduate Award program for outstanding academic achievement and mastery of the subject.
Jeffrey Newton
Student Bar Association Awards
The Student Bar Association Awards are awarded to students, faculty, and staff that are nominated and elected by the student body.
Outstanding 1L Full-Time Student |
Amy Lorde |
Outstanding 2L Full-Time Student |
Stephanie Wise |
Outstanding Part-Time Students |
Michael Kilbourn |
Outstanding Legal Masters Student Award |
Haleigh Pannell |
Outstanding Graduating Student |
Camille Moore |
Daniel S. Hoffman Award for Outstanding Student Leadership |
Camille Moore |
Outstanding Staff or Administrator |
Alexi Freeman |
Outstanding Faculty Member |
Alexi Freeman |
Mentorship Award | Alexi Freeman |
Student Leadership Awards
Most Innovative Program Award
This award recognizes a student who has implemented a new program or significantly modified an existing program which better serves the law school community.
Ashna Basnet ∙ Keila Garcia ∙ Arsh Khan ∙ Mariah Melena ∙ Sadaf Naushad
Inclusive Excellence Award
This award is presented to a student who models inclusivity and has demonstrated a commitment to diversity through service and programming. These individuals bring diverse perspectives to the Sturm College of Law community.
Malie Mintonl ∙ Aleela Taylor ∙ Katie Wynn ∙ Pelecanos
Student Leadership Award
These awards are given to students who have fulfilled two of the three following criteria: 1) initiated a new student program or organization; 2) significantly improved an existing program; or 3) demonstrated leadership by contributing considerable time, resources, and talents to the law school community.
Adam Estacio, Ashlyn Hare, Kalen Hilliker, Trevor Klein, Kelly Lotterhos, Malie Minton, Camille Moore, Stephanie Wise & Pelecanos
Outstanding Leadership Award
This award is presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the law school through consistent service to student organizations, and/or has demonstrated extraordinary community involvement on behalf of the Sturm College of Law.
Michael Kilbourn
Juris Doctor Academic Distinction Awards
Clarence L. Bartholic Highest Grade in Legal Profession Award
This award was initiated by the Brewer Inn of Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity, which promotes professional ethics. This award honors students who achieved the highest grade in Legal Profession during the prior calendar year (2021). Mr. Bartholic, after whom the award is named, was a 1925 alumnus of the Sturm College of Law.
Allyson Beyer ∙ Emily Davis ∙ Trevor Klein ∙ Chasen Miller ∙ Anna Myra ∙ Isabella Pichler
Melanie Hardaway Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduate
This award is given to graduating student(s) in the top five percent of the class who have made the greatest overall contribution to the law school.
Katelyn Elrod ∙ Trevor Klein
Harry Clayton Davis Award
This award is given annually to a student who has made the greatest overall academic progress during their law school career.
Lauren Bielich