Students & Donors Reception 2013

On March 20, 2013, the Faculty hosted its annual Celebration of Student Achievement and Donor Support, an evening reception at which students who have received scholarships and prizes had the opportunity to meet, greet and personally thank their benefactors. For a peek, please see our photo album, below.

Seventy-five guests gathered in the Common Room, including Professors, undergraduate and graduate students of the Faculty of Law, distinguished donors and many alumni, among them Tina Hobday (BCL’93, LLB’93), President of the McGill Alumni Association and 2012 James A. Robb Award co-recipient.

Dean Daniel Jutras welcomed the group with characteristic wit and charm, while two current students, Molly Krishtalka and Miatta Gorvie, thanked the assembled donors for their support.

“On behalf of all the students at the McGill Faculty of Law who benefit from this funding, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the generous donors who are here this evening,” said Krishtalka. A recipient of the Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Scholarship, the Daniel Mettarlin Memorial Scholarship, the Borden Ladner Gervais Professional Excellence Award, as well as the Thomas Alexander Rowat Prize, Krishtalka is the Editor-in-Chief of the McGill International Journal of Sustainable Development Law & Policy, and was recently selected to become a Supreme Court of Canada clerk (see related clerks article).

“Donor support is crucial to our studies at the Faculty, as it provides the financial flexibility for students to pursue interests outside of the classroom,” stressed Gorvie, a third-year student who ran the legal clinic at the CLSC in Parc-Extension this year, interned with Legal Action for Persons with Disabilities in Kampala, Uganda, and received the Aisenstadt Student Research Fellowship with the CHRLP this summer, as well as the Rathlyn Award in 2011-12. “For students pursuing a career in human rights law, summer internships are increasingly necessary, but the vast majority are unpaid,” she continued. “The support of donors in funding the internship program gives many students that important first experience of working in the field, which many would not have been able to afford otherwise.”

Norman Steinberg (BCL’75), Global Chairman of Norton Rose, also addressed the gathering, and had occasion during the evening to converse with Paul Chung, the student who received the Norton Rose Canada Entrance Scholarship this year.  At the same time, Francine Nelson-Wiseman (BCL’84, LLB’85) and Robert Wiseman met with student Eloïse Ouellet-Decoste, recipient of the Francine Robert Wiseman International Human Rights Award.  As seen in the photographs below, many more warm interactions between donors and student-award recipients could be observed during the celebratory event.

The Faculty of Law distributes well over $200,000 every year in scholarships, prizes, bursaries and internship stipends. Through their generous gifts, donors and friends of the Faculty have created a broad range of awards that highlight academic success, support community outreach, provide financial assistance to students and recognize their extraordinary citizenship and engagement.

Photos: Nicholas Morin

Story: Bridget Wayland

Mrs Joan Rothman, with law student James McCarthy (the Hon. Melvin Rothman Scholarship), the Hon. Melvin Rothman (BCL’54), Justice Joseph Nuss (BCL’58) and the Hon. Marie Deschamps (LLM’83).	Robert Wiseman in conversation with Ester Driham, Associate Director of Development, and Dean Daniel Jutras
Jihyun Rosel Kim (Nowak-Weil Award), Laura Crestohl (Batshaw Prize) and Allison Render (Norych Scholarship)	The Hon. Yoine Goldstein (BCL’58) with student Greg Koenderman, recipient of the Goldstein Book Prize in Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law.
Rachel Zuroff (125th Anniversary scholarship) and Nour Rashid (Wainwright Prize)	Md Tanveer Ahmad (Boeing Fellowship), Upasana Dasgupta (Arsenault Fellowship), Isavella Vasilogeorgi (Arsenault Fellowship) and Andrea DiPaolo (Arsenault Fellowship)
Dean Daniel Jutras welcomes everyone with his characteristic wit and charm.	Margery Pazdor (Scott-Rappaport Scholarship), Paul Chung (Norton Rose scholarship) and Vincent O’Donnell (BCL’55) listen to the Dean’s speech.
Students Molly Krishtalka and Miatta Gorvie (speaking) addressed the guests, thanking the donors for their generosity.	Dean Jutras introduces Norman Steinberg (BCL’75).
Mr Steinberg, who chairs the Faculty Advisory Board, shared some thoughts.	Dr. Bluma Litner-Rosenstein, Siena Anstis, recipient of the David Litner, QC, Scholarship, and Mark Rosenstein (BCL’63)
Erin Moores, Assistant Dean of Admissions Ali Martin Mayer (BCL’02, LLB’02) and Marie-Pier Gagnon Nadeau	Alfred Enns (BCL’87, LLB’87) was among our honoured guests.
Margery Pazdor and Kadene Massop (Norych Scholarship) were all smiles.	Norm Steinberg in conversation with Tina Hobday (BCL’93, LLB’93) and Daniel Jutras.