BY JEREMY DICK
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In just a few short weeks, the Class of 2003 will bid farewell to Harvard Law School. Helping them enjoy their final year and getting set for graduation have been their class marshals, 3Ls Joi Chaney, head marshal Richard Coe, Katie Lachter and Rachel Masory, along with newly-elected LLM marshal Maria Paz Anzorreguy and their adviser, Lolita Elverillo, director of the office of special events.
The marshals have been as busy as law firm recruiters as far as organizing events for their class to enjoy – in the fall they sponsored a bus to the MPRE exam, sold class clothing, hosted happy hours, held a Halloween costume party and organized a trip to the Boston Symphony. In the spring, they have hosted more happy hours, taken the class gambling at Mohegan Sun, gone karaoke singing and selected a class committee.
With so many events planned, according to 3L marshal Joi Chaney, “the biggest challenge [of being a marshal] has been scheduling around the [other] various events going on around campus. We don’t want to compete with other events and there are so many great ones. In addition to that, we wanted to do so many things that it was hard to narrow down what was realistic.”
Graduation itself promises to be an exciting two days, with class day scheduled for Wednesday, June 4 and commencement on Thursday, June 5. Class day will include a lunch spread provided by the law school’s alumni association, a dean’s reception on Jarvis Field, a concert and the 3L class’s “last bash” that evening. Commencement day will feature a champagne continental breakfast, the class march, the formal graduation program at 10 a.m. at Harvard’s Tercentenary theater and the awarding of diplomas. By the middle of the afternoon, the 3Ls will be students no more, off to their summer bar review classes.
Next week, the 3Ls will vote on two awards given at graduation, the Sacks-Freund award and the staff appreciation award. The Sacks-Freund award recognizes teaching ability, attentiveness to student concerns and general contributions to student life at the law school. Established in 1992 and named after the late professors Albert Sacks and Paul Freund, past winners of the award include Professors Ogletree, Alvin Warren, Elizabeth Warren, Wilkins, Hanson, Fallon, Tribe and Guinier. The staff appreciation award is given each year to express gratitude for commitment to the law student experience and concern for students’ lives and work at the law school. Perhaps more appropriately named the Caroline Soultanian award – Soultanian, a multiple-time winner, has had her number retired and has asked not to be nominated – last year the award was won by Fern Coleman of the Registrar’s office.
As is tradition, the 3L class will also be giving a class gift. This year, they have chosen to donate money to LIPP. In addition, the class will present Dean Clark with a farewell present.
New Class Marshals
The LSC elections a month ago yielded another batch of eager students ready to hand over their precious time to good causes. Among the filled positions of the year end “changing of the guard” were the new marshal positions for next year, each one responsible for ensuring that the 3L experience is more than drinking binges and scant readings of low-attended law courses.
In a highly-contested election of 16 contenders, Anjan Choudhury, Lucas Osborn, Amanda Gregory and Rita Bolt each received the highest vote totals to emerge as the class marshals for their 3L class. Election coordinators admitted that it was a close election, with only four votes separating the fourth winner from the next highest finisher.
Turnout for the election hovered around 50 percent, which is high for the Law School.
Gregory said she was very excited to have been chosen by her classmates for such an important social position, one involving numerous parties and other people’s money. “I was thrilled when I found out that my campaign strategy of style without substance had paid off,” she commented, “and the Class of 2004 had voted to make my dream a reality.”
There was no mention by the other contenders as to how their campaign strategies fared.
According to election coordinators, Choudhury received the most votes for the class marshal position and will be designated the Lead Class Marshal for graduation. “I am really honored and really excited about doing this over the next year,” Choudhury said. He commented that the experience of trudging through the first year of law school with sectionmates nurtures a real feeling of bonding that tends to dissipate during the 2L year, and he hopes to regain those lost connections.
Both Osborn and Bolt understand the responsibility that comes with their positions, but are undaunted in what they need to accomplish. But, Osborne said, “Now I feel a big sense of responsibility to do a great job. With [such responsibility] comes optimism and excitement from knowing who I am working with and all of the other students who will give me great input.”