Public Interest Summer Fellowships

The Public Interest Fellowship Committee is pleased to announce the availability of Public Interest Summer Fellowships for students working as volunteers or for marginal pay in the public sector. Students enrolled in the Public Service Extern Program and Reinberger Fellows are not eligible to apply for this fellowship award. For Purposes of this fellowship, a public interest position includes working for an organization providing services to underrepresented clients, groups or interests. (e.g. the poor, elderly, minority groups, etc.)

Application & Selection Criteria:

1. Before applying, you must have secured a position as a volunteer or for marginal pay in the public sector.
    
2. You must commit to work a minimum of 20 hours a week for 10 weeks over the summer in the public interest position.
    
3. Criteria that will be considered during the selection process include factors relevant to the student’s commitment to a public service career.  Commitment may be demonstrated by a number of factors, including:
• Participation in public interest/volunteer activities in college, law school and outside of school 
• Essay describing student’s interest in the practice of public interest law and the relationship of summer employment plans to legal career goals

While demonstrated commitment is a principal criterion for being awarded a fellowship, consideration will also be given to applicants who may not have amassed a substantial public interest record but who have demonstrated their commitment in other ways and/or have explained the circumstances that may have deterred them from participation in such activities in the past in their essay.

Application Process

Interested students must submit three copies of: 1) a resume, 2) the fellowship application, and 3) a law school transcript in hard copy to the Law Career Services Office by 3:00 PM on Thursday, March 19, 2009.   No application will be accepted after this date and time. In addition, hand-written applications will NOT be considered.

The Fellowship Committee will award the fellowship stipends at the Public Service Recognition Program on Thursday, April 2, 2009.

Fellowships Available

We anticipate awarding five fellowships this year: 1.) COOPER, WALINSKI & CRAMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP ($1800); 2.) BRUCE COMLY FRENCH PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP ($700); 3.) PILA/UT LAW FELLOWSHIP ($2000); 4.) PILA/UT LAW FELLOWSHIP ($2000); 5) PILA/UT LAW Fellowship ($2000).

COOPER, WALINSKI & CRAMER PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP (All Students)
The Cooper, Walinski, & Cramer Public Interest Fellowship was established to give University of Toledo College of Law students and new graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in public service or the non-profit sector.

BRUCE COMLY FRENCH PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP (2L Day, 3L Evening)
The Bruce Comly French Public Interest Fellowship was established to provide funding to a University of Toledo College of Law student who has made a solid commitment to work in a Legal Aid or Legal Services Office after graduation. Specifically, the monies in the fund are designated for student(s) who have agreed to work for two (2) years following graduation with a legal aid or legal services grantee in Ohio or southeastern Michigan. Criteria for selection include the student’s commitment to public interest work, the student’s academic record (C+ average or better required), and a quality public interest position.

THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW ASSOCIATION (PILA)/ UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO COLLEGE OF LAW FELLOWSHIP (1L & 2L Students)
This Fellowship fund was established to provide first and second year law students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in public interest law during law school.

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Application Form

Name:
Class Year:
Graduation Date:
Student Status:	Full-time Part-time
Local Address:
City/State/Zip:
Telephone:
Email:
1. Describe the public interest position you have secured, including the name of the employer, the name of your direct supervisor, and the city and state where the position is located.
2. Why are you interested in this public interest position?
3. Type of Position: Volunteer    Paid      If paid, amount:$
4. Describe in detail all financial obligations you will have over the summer (i.e., rent, parking, gas, etc.):
5. Have you received any other monetary awards for this summer or are any applications for funding pending? Yes   No   Pending.   If Yes, how much?
6. Please list all other sources of funding to which you have applied. (ex. Equal Justice Works Summer Corps etc.):
7. List any significant extracurricular and public interest activities during law school. Include dates and descriptions.
8. List any significant extracurricular and public interest activities during undergraduate college. Include dates and descriptions.
9. Please write a brief statement describing your interest in the practice of public interest law and the relationship of your summer employment plans to your legal career goals.

After you click "submit", the page will display a printable version of your application. Please print a copy of that page.

The on-line application form has been provided to allow for easier formatting as you complete the application. However, we also need a hard copy to be turned into our office. In order to be eligible for fellowship money, a hard copy of the completed application form, along with a resume and your law school transcript must be turned into the Career Services office by 3:00pm on Thursday, March 19, 2009.