This year, each location of Rutgers Law School will hold a virtual commencement recognition ceremony and invite students back for in-person celebrations in the fall.
As Rutgers Law School wraps up this unique spring semester, the administration at both locations is making plans to honor our graduates with virtual recognition ceremonies.
Both commencement recognition ceremonies will be held virtually on the same day, May 28.
The Camden ceremony begins at 1 p.m. and the Newark ceremony begins at 4 p.m.
Many of the students will have caps and gowns that were generously loaned out by alumni or purchased with donations from faculty and other supporters.
At the Camden ceremony, the keynote speaker will be Judy Martinez, President of the American Bar Association. Two students, Alexa Wissner, the 3L Day Class President, and Caitlin Flynn, the Evening Class President, also will give speeches. Students were invited to submit photos of themselves that will be used at the ceremony. Immediately following the ceremony, Co-Dean Mutcherson, faculty and staff will be hosting a virtual reception for graduates and their friends and family. Alumni are more than welcome to attend the ceremony virtually. The link will be posted on our Commencement page.
The Camden campus will invite graduates back to campus on December 6 to participate in an in-person ceremony at the Gordon Theater, as long as it is permitted at that time.
For the Newark ceremony, the keynote speaker will be Ryan Haygood, President and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, and the faculty speaker will be Professor David Noll. The student speaker will be Nina DePalma RLAW ’20. In addition, Amy Soled will be honored as Professor of the Year, which is a new award for excellence in teaching. To attend the Newark ceremony virtually, check for the link on the law school’s Commencement page.
In addition, Co-Dean David Lopez and the faculty are hosting a series of virtual toasts with graduates and their families.
On Nov. 9 at 10 a.m., graduates will be invited back to Newark to take part in an in-person ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, as long as it is permitted at that time.
Sign-ups for Rutgers Law Summer School have been robust, and students from Rutgers Law and other law schools will be able to take courses online with professors from both the Newark and Camden locations.
Starting on June 16, the Camden location will host its Summer Jump Start program virtually, it’s annual program for incoming students that gets them acquainted with the school and allows them to begin their 1L year early by taking summer courses.
Our Career Services staff continues to work with students to find them summer placements and internships. Thanks to our alumni who have offered internships and other opportunities to Rutgers Law students this summer.
Around $50,000 in grants have been awarded to students experiencing extreme hardship through the Student Emergency Program administered by the law school. The grants assist students at both locations who have experienced hardship related to the pandemic, and sought help with food, rent, and other necessities. Students may apply for emergency grants up to $1,500 through a confidential application process that is reviewed by a committee comprised of the deans of students and financial aid officers. Donors can contribute to the fund at this link.
Our students continue to do pro bono and public interest work and community service to help others during the pandemic, all while completing their finals remotely. Students have provided gear to medical staff, donated snacks to medical personnel, a professor has provided hot meals to neighbors, a medical student is completing his first year of law school while working at a hospital, and a graduating student went back to a hospital in New York City to help during the pandemic.
Read about some of this year’s outstanding graduates: Diana Felipe RLAW ’20, Briana Ramos RLAW ‘20, Ayisha Scales RLAW ’20, Julie Minicozzi RLAW ’20, Christopher Winters RLAW ’20, and Derek Demeri RLAW ’20.
There are many questions about whether the fall semester will be conducted remotely, in-person, or a combination of both. Any decision from Rutgers Law School will be consistent with the guidance made by the state of New Jersey. In the meantime, the law school’s leadership and faculty are working on contingency plans for each of these eventualities.