Solomon Scholars

• Stipend: Our Solomon Scholars receive a $10,000 stipend per academic year. This stipend does not come with any spending restrictions. Solomon Scholars remain eligible for Rutgers Law scholarships awarded at the time of acceptance or other institutional aid awarded to continuing students.
• Summer Funding: Scholars receive an additional $5,000 stipend for qualifying public service work in the summer following the second year of law school.
• Mentoring: Scholars are assigned faculty mentors and may attend faculty colloquia. Additionally, Scholars are assigned to a Rutgers Law alumni mentor who is currently working in the Scholar's area of interest.
• Career Counseling: Even as first-year students, Scholars work with a member of the Center for Career Development to develop a strategic plan regarding the pursuit of their career goals.
• Professional Development Stipend: Each year, Solomon Scholars may request additional funding to attend legal conferences or other programming related to their areas of interest.

The selection process for Solomon Scholars begins after a student has been admitted to the Law School. In the spring of each year, the Solomon Scholars selection committee invites qualified admitted applicants to interview for a space in the Solomon Scholars Program. Only those applications who have applied and been admitted to Rutgers Law School by March will be considered for this program.

Invited admitted applicants may interview in person at Rutgers Law School in Camden or virtually. Interviewers will consist of members of the faculty, Admissions Committee, and current Solomon Scholars. Students who decide to interview in person will be eligible for a travel stipend.

Kobie Allen is an associate in the Litigation Department at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York. He joined the firm in 2023 after earning his J.D., summa cum laude, from Rutgers Law School, where he graduated as salutatorian and was elected to the Order of the Coif.  At Rutgers, he served as an Articles Editor for the Rutgers University Law Review and as a Writing Fellow for Professor Sarah E. Ricks. He was also a member of the 2021–22 James Hunter III Moot Court Program, where he and his partner advanced to the semifinal round of oral arguments and earned the Best Plaintiff’s Brief Award. In addition, he participated in the Veterans Advocacy Clinic, where he successfully co-argued a discharge upgrade hearing before the Naval Discharge Review Board.

Kobie graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in Political Science, concentrating on the comparative politics of the Middle East and Leadership Studies: U.S. Foreign Policy. During his undergraduate studies, he spent a year in Egypt as a visiting scholar at the American University in Cairo, where he studied Arabic and took graduate-level political science courses. He also conducted comparative research on corruption in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa region while studying in Morocco.

His academic and professional interests center on governance, public policy, international affairs, and complex dispute resolution. At Debevoise, he represents clients in a broad range of litigation and regulatory matters. He also maintains an active pro bono practice, working with teams representing individuals on death row in post-conviction proceedings and advising nonprofit organizations on business, governance, and employment-related disputes. Through both his commercial and pro bono work, Kobie remains committed to advancing access to justice and strengthening institutions that serve the public good.

Neeraja is a New Jersey native and 2019 graduate of the College of William & Mary, where she graduated cum laude majoring in biology with a minor in public health. While at William & Mary, Neeraja conducted microbiology research and studied comparative health care policy in Copenhagen, Denmark. Neeraja sought to improve minority representation in student leadership by serving as a President's Aide, director of the Orientation Program, and member of the Undergraduate Honor Council.

Jennifer graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Nanotechnology from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2024. While in school, Jennifer was the captain of the Division I lacrosse team, served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and was a Student Chapter Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). She also served as a Plant Operations & Engineering Intern at Calpine Corporation, where she helped improve plant operations by organizing and updating utility system records, predicting energy output using data analysis, and creating clear operation manuals for gas turbine generators.

After graduating, she worked as a Project Engineer at Environex, where she managed and executed engineering projects focused on air quality solutions for the power industry—overseeing tasks from drafting the scope and proposal to completing the final report and maintaining communication with clients. Jennifer is passionate about contributing to the clean energy movement in a more impactful way as a lawyer and about creating realistic solutions through legal work to support progress toward net-zero emissions and a cleaner world.

Raised in New Jersey, Roman Brooks graduated from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where he obtained a degree in political science and a minor in law, politics, and philosophy. During his time at TCNJ, he attended the Washington Center in Washington DC, interning as a political fundraiser coordinator. Following this, he completed an internship as a public affairs intern with The Munshine Group, working with non-profit organizations and donor research.

Malley Chertkov was raised in Millstone, New Jersey and was excited to return for law school. Malley graduated from Wellesley College in 2019 with a degree in Philosophy and went on to work as a paralegal at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Criminal Division, Fraud Section, helping prosecute individuals for serious financial crimes and major market fraud.

Prior to law school, Mara had a ten-year career working with progressive, social justice-oriented organizations. On behalf of the Human Rights Campaign, they organized an office of street canvassers to advance the Equality Act for LGBTQ+ Civil Rights. Mara received their M.Phil with Honors in Gender and Women’s Studies from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and graduated cum laude with a double major in Psychology and Liberal Arts from Alaska Pacific University. They currently serve as the Co-VP of the American Constitution Society.

Mia graduated from the University of Texas in the Plan II Honors program, where she created the Interpersonal Violence Peer Support program, which trains students to be advocates for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. After graduation, Mia organized at the state and local levels—working on grassroots ballot initiatives focused on police accountability and permanent supportive housing to Beto O’Rourke’s gubernatorial bid. Most recently, she served as the COO for DEH & Associates, a boutique accounting firm.

Nicole earned her M.A. in HR Management and dual B.A. in Human Resources and Labor & Employment Relations from Rutgers. Her academic excellence and community service were acknowledged with several honors, including the Greek Award of Distinction and Outstanding Greek Woman Award. Nicole is a dedicated human resources professional with a strong academic background and experience in both the corporate and technology industries. Nicole hopes to focus her legal career in employment law, where she can help small businesses thrive.

A former bartender, current educator, and forever advocate, Jess Harper Meyers (she/her/they/them) was born and raised in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Jess attended the American University School of Public Affairs in Washington, DC, where she majored in Justice, Law, and Criminology. After earning their BA, Jess co-founded We Can Run PAC, a 527 political nonprofit that lowered barriers to entry for working-class progressive candidates.

Khira graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from California State University, Fullerton in 2023. While in school, Khira served as the Founder and President of TEDxCSUF, Team Captain of the CSUF Moot Court, Vice President and Social Chair of the President’s Scholars Student Association, and the Social Justice and Equity Commission Coordinator for Associated Students Inc. She also worked as a Casework and Policy Assistant at Protect Our Defenders, a Legislative Intern with the Democratic Staff of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and an Executive Intern at Reproductive Freedom for All, formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America.

After graduating, Khira joined the Department of Justice, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, first as a Special Assistant to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Principal Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller, and later as a Paralegal Specialist. She served as a liaison to civil rights components including the Office on Violence Against Women and the Civil Rights Division, represented the office on the DOJ Reproductive Rights Task Force, collaborated with the ATF, and coordinated the DAG’s public events.

Building on this experience, Khira is committed to continuing her advocacy for women’s rights in law school and beyond.

Sarah recently graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Forensic Studies from Loyola University Maryland in 2025. She was highly involved on campus, expanding her writing and interpersonal skills as a Career Ambassador, Mentor Captain for Student Leadership Corps, Ignite Fellow at Teach For America, and Writing Center Tutor at Pioneer Academics. She also became a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was awarded the departmental Forensics Medal at graduation.

While in school, Sarah interned with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, where she gained mock trial experience and assisted with advocacy events for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. She also completed an internship with Baltimore Witness, attending and reporting on Baltimore City Circuit Court hearings for homicide and non-fatal shooting cases to foster transparency within the city’s criminal justice system. Additionally, she volunteered with the Maryland Legal Aid Expungement Clinic where she assisted clients with intake paperwork and gained valuable insight into Maryland’s expungement process.

Aiming to work in public service, Sarah is eager to explore prosecutor and public defender roles through clinics and internships during law school.

Talyce earned a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Cultures and Politics from Michigan State University in 2020. During her time at Michigan State, she served as a Senior Class Student Government Representative, co-founded the Bipartisan Debate Club, and was selected as a Women’s Alliance Public Service Scholars, working alongside government officials to promote diverse voices in policy and research environments. Her academic work also included an independent study in Havana, Cuba, where she researched race, tourism, and identity in Afro-Cuban communities.

Since graduating, Talyce has built a career at the intersection of democracy, public policy, and community advocacy. She has worked with national organizations, including Everytown for Gun Safety, Public Citizen, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), leading lobbying and coalition efforts focused on voting rights, gun violence prevention, civic engagement, and democratic reform. Her work has included advancing legislation related to election integrity and artificial intelligence, advocating for community violence intervention funding, and partnering with advocacy groups representing diverse racial, socioeconomic, and religious communities.

Alongside her professional work, Talyce has remained deeply engaged in public service. She served as the youngest Chair of the East Lansing Human Rights Commission, where she helped establish the region’s first police oversight task force, advanced protections for LGBTQ+ youth, and promoted accessibility and equity initiatives throughout the city. She has also served on the boards and advisory bodies of several institutions focused on civic empowerment and democracy, including the Michigan Center for Civic Education and the inaugural Michigan Secretary of State’s Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force. Through her experiences in policy and advocacy, Talyce developed a strong interest in the role that lawyers play in protecting communities and ensuring that laws are implemented with integrity and fairness. She plans to pursue a legal career rooted in public service, with a focus on advancing equitable justice, and connecting historically underserved communities to the legal system.

Raised by a single mother who worked as a drug addiction specialist in the Philadelphia prison system, Alexandra was exposed to inequalities from a young age. Drawing on her mother's experience, Alexandra gained valuable experience interning with the ACLU-NJ, the Federal Defender's Office, and the civil rights firm Kairys Rudovsky throughout law school. To continue her mother's legacy and pursue her passion for equality and constitutional law, she hopes to become either a public defender or plaintiff's civil rights litigator.

Owen earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with Highest Honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering in 2020. Since graduating, he has built a career in the aerospace and defense industry, working across software, systems, and embedded engineering roles at Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. His work has focused on developing mission-critical technologies, including satellite architecture modeling, reusable satellite flight software, software-defined radio systems, and digital signal processing applications. Across these roles, he has contributed to complex hardware and software integration efforts, collaborated with interdisciplinary engineering teams, and supported high-level customer demonstrations and testing initiatives. Most recently, he served as a Senior Software Engineer at Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, where he helped design, prototype, and test communication software for advanced radio frequency hardware and signal data processing applications. 

During college, Owen interned with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, where he worked alongside inter-agency teams and technical experts supporting national security initiatives. Beyond the technical work, the experience introduced him to a strong sense of public service within the landscape of engineering. The internship demonstrated both the importance of work that directly serves the community and for the accountability of the consequences of advanced technology development. That perspective continued to shape how he thought about professional purpose long after the internship ended. 

As his career progressed, Owen became increasingly interested in the legal and ethical questions surrounding emerging technologies, particularly as innovation continues to outpace regulation and existing legal frameworks. At the same time, he found himself gravitating to work that offered a stronger connection to the communities affected by technological change. Drawing on his engineering background and years of experience in highly technical environments, he hopes to pursue work at the intersection of law, technology, and public service in ways that strengthen communities and help ensure technological advancement remains grounded in accountability, accessibility, and societal benefit.

Priya earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a minor in Global Health from Duke University, and a Certificate in Prison Studies from Duke Divinity School. She recently graduated with a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2025. During her undergraduate years, Priya volunteered as a Client Advocate for the Orleans Public Defenders and the Innocence Project in London. She also conducted extensive public health research on carceral systems at the UNC School of Medicine and Oxford University and has contributed to several publications. After college, she taught at Valor Collegiate Academies through Teach for America (AmeriCorps), as well as with the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Princeton Writing Academy.

As a graduate student, Priya has dedicated her time to the Princeton University Prison Teaching Initiative, serving as a graduate fellow, college instructor, and tutor. She also served as a Chaplain Intern for both the New Jersey Department of Corrections and Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing interfaith care and emotional support to diverse populations. She is currently pursuing her yoga teacher certification through the Prison Yoga Project.

She is attending law school to leverage her backgrounds in education and chaplaincy towards holistic legal advocacy for the communities she will serve.

Courtney is a Long Island native and proud alumna of Clark University, where she graduated summa cum laude in her B.A. in Political Science in 2017 and MPA in 2018. Prior to attending law school, Courtney spent five years advocating for equitable public policies and greater investment in under resourced neighborhoods in Memphis, TN and the Deep South. She is passionate about advancing economic justice through the law and plans to leverage her legal education to better serve underrepresented communities.

Wan-Chen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese from National Taiwan Normal University in 2013 and a Master of Arts in History, with a concentration in Nation-Building in Modern Ireland, from National Taiwan University in 2017.

Throughout school, Wan-Chen was dedicated to activism, helping to raise awareness through multiple campaigns, including those focused on workers’ rights. She also taught Mandarin classes to Tibetans and beginner Tibetan classes to Taiwanese, and worked as a psychology research assistant.

After receiving her degrees, she traveled to the Himalayas in 2018 to study the Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy. Over two years, she was taught that compassion is the foundation of inner peace. She eventually returned to Taiwan, where she aimed to create change—no matter how small—by working as a civil servant in the Education Department for nearly three years.

Most recently, she worked as the Secretary of the Standards and Compilation Board and the Supervisory Board at the Institute of Internal Auditors, Chinese Taiwan, where she wrote, edited, and reviewed all external documents from the Secretariat. Wan-Chen aspires to bring an international perspective and fresh insights into legal practice in Taiwan, focusing on the intersection of administrative law and comparative law.