Cardozo’s annual Donors & Scholars event, where students meet those who support their scholarships and stipends, was held April 15.
During her remarks, Dean Melanie Leslie ’91 thanked the generous donors for their financial support. She also recognized the David Berg Foundation, the largest supporter of the Public Service Summer Stipend Program, which has given more than $2.6 million to nearly 750 Cardozo students.
Scholarships, she said, “are crucial in bridging the gap for so many of our deserving students, providing essential funding that affords them the opportunity to pursue a legal education.”
She thanked the donors for their support, saying it reflects their commitment to equity and inclusion in the legal profession.
1L Olivia Chijioke, the recipient of the David Martinidez Scholarship and an ambassador for the Entertainment Law Society, recalled her experience graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2020 and moving to New York at the height of the pandemic with no job, just a few friends and a plan to pursue a career in entertainment law.
An avid reader, she grew up feeling connected to the stories she read, often comparing them to their TV and movie adaptations. As she got older, Chijioke also became interested in music and musical artists.
“I learned more about who supports these artists and knew that I wanted to do the same,” she said. “That’s when I discovered entertainment law. I was interested in how to help artists’ ideas come into fruition, not only creatively but to help leverage them the best protection.”
Chijioke had gotten involved in the entertainment law field before starting law school, working at Atlantic Records in the business and legal affairs department, where she saw how deals can be made and how labels can maintain artistic integrity.
“My desire to work in the industry is rooted in my extreme love for the arts and desire to support underrepresented creatives and those who have made me feel seen through art,” she said.
Her journey to achieve her goals has been aided by the scholarships she has been awarded.
“I’m so grateful to Cardozo for creating this community, which is allowing me to stay motivated on my path for advocating for diverse creatives to protect their art, and I hope one day to be able to contribute to the scholarships,” Chijioke said.
Georgeanne Moss ’88, a financial advisor with The Gould Group of Wells Fargo, told the gathering that she has worked in various positions throughout her career.
She started as an associate at a Connecticut law firm before working as a senior attorney specializing in litigation, securities compliance and derivative projects at a major brokerage firm. She was also a legal intern to Mario Cuomo when he was the governor of New York.
Her interest in giving back to Cardozo dates to a conversation she had with then-Cardozo Dean Monroe Price. Moss said Price was fascinated by her career, particularly her internship with Cuomo and her work in public service.
Moss sponsored 2L Sebastian Saavedra's internship with the New York Legal Assistance Group in its Foreclosure Prevention Project, and she said she received a “beautiful” letter from him in which he shared his experience and gratitude.
“The interest is public service, getting an education but then giving back after you get that education — that’s what it should all be about,” she said.
