Camden Student Receives 2024 Anderl Memorial Scholarship

Nayomi Torres-Velez, a 3L student at Rutgers Law School in Camden, is the second recipient of the annual Daniel Anderl Memorial Scholarship. This $5,600 award is part of a larger endowment established to honor the memory of Daniel Anderl, who was murdered by an aggrieved attorney in 2020. Anderl, the son of the Honorable Esther Salas '94, was 20 years old and planned for a career in law. His father, Mark, was also shot and wounded in the attack.

“Mark and I congratulate Ms. Torres-Velez on being awarded this year’s Anderl Scholarship,” says Judge Salas. “Although we will always mourn the senseless murder of our beloved Daniel, our pain is counterbalanced by the light and love that shines through the darkness of our tragic circumstances. We thank Rutgers Law School for continuing to keep Daniel’s memory alive by ensuring that so many worthy recipients are benefitting from the scholarship fund. We continue to thank those who generously donated to this fund, and we are so grateful that young students like Ms. Torres-Velez will go on to excel in their academic careers and beyond.”

For Torres-Velez, law was more a calling than a career choice. Growing up in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, she witnessed firsthand the struggles of minority communities, and quickly learned how a community’s understanding of labor and employment law (or lack thereof) can cause a ripple effect leading to job insecurity, financial instability, housing challenges, and more. “Many people don’t speak up against wrongs because they fear retaliation,” she says. “My goal as an attorney is to help people learn more about their rights and give them the freedom to know they're protected in the workplace.”

Torres-Velez is a student intern at the Immigrant Justice Clinic, managing research editor of the Journal of Law and Public Policy, and held internships throughout her law school career on both the plaintiff's and defendant's sides of labor and employment law. As the co-president of ALIANZA, the Latin American Law Student Alliance, Torres-Velez has led efforts to foster diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. For example, she helped launch a scholarship called Una Esperanza Para El Futuro, which provides LSAT preparation to undergraduate students from underrepresented communities.

“Winning this scholarship is not just about furthering my academic achievement, but also striving to be resilient in the face of challenges and continuing to be deserving of this recognition and honor,” says Torres-Velez. “My hope is to continue the Salas family’s legacy by giving back to the community in meaningful ways.”