News

LLM Spotlight: Ruth Fahy

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:15:19 +0000

LLM Spotlight: Ruth Fahy Cecelia Tecu Mon, 11/03/2025 - 10:15

Colorado Law is proud to highlight some of our new Master of Laws (LLM) students. The LLM program fully immerses students in Colorado Law and offers inclusive access to programming, courses/modules, and the greater University of Colorado Boulder campus. LLM students have unique and diverse backgrounds and experiences that enrich our community of scholars and students, while advancing Colorado Law’s intellectual leadership across the globe. In this edition, meet the LLM class of 2026’s Ruth Fahy!

Where are you from?

RF: I’m from Galway in the west of Ireland. Best place in the world! Although I will admit that Boulder is fast becoming a home for us; it’s truly an incredible place to live.

What inspired you to pursue an LLM degree?

RF: A couple of reasons. I work in sporting compliance with the Colorado Rapids (Major League Soccer Club) in Denver and know that a more rounded education in international law will add value to our Club. I’m also keen to sit the Bar Exam and am using this course to prepare myself appropriately. A key piece for me is meeting like-minded folks in the legal industry in Boulder and Colorado. Enrolling in CU Boulder’s LLM degree has already proven to be one of the best decisions I've made since moving to the United States in early 2023.

What is your educational background and/or what was your career prior to coming to Colorado Law?

RF: After graduating with an LLB in Law from the University of Limerick, I spent some time working in different areas, and traveling, before formally entering the legal field. At the time I wanted to feel out a potential career in business, and so sampled roles in project management and business operations. I always tried to stay connected to sport, whether that was through playing League of Ireland soccer, or working in sports broadcasting as a pundit and analyst. I was lucky to work in some fantastic roles during that time, like co-commentating on the FIFA Women’s World Cup and UEFA Champions Leagues games. I feel those experiences have always really stood to me.

I have a genuine passion for learning which took me to the UK to study a post grad in sports law, and later a brief non-humanities diversion into dietetics and nutritional science in Dublin, before making the decision to commit to law. I worked in a general practice firm in Dublin and in the legal department of the Football Association of Ireland, before qualifying as an attorney with William Fry in Dublin. I think the training and mentorship received at William Fry, and later at Ogier Leman LLP as a sports attorney, prepared me effectively for the transition to the United States. What has stood to me the most though is adaptability. Being nimble and seeking sound judgment is a solid combination when working in the ever changing arena of professional sport. No day is ever the same. And I love that!

Why did you choose to attend Colorado Law?

RF: Colorado Law has an incredible reputation both domestically and abroad. I am three months into the LLM course and can understand why. Our professors are truly excellent, and I can see why this program produces such high-quality attorneys. I won't pretend it is easy trying to balance an LLM and work, but I know that the challenge will be worth it.

Also, Boulder is absolutely stunning, as is the Colorado Law campus. My wife and I have just moved out here from downtown Denver and we are literally walking around wide-eyed most days at the beautiful Boulder mountain backdrop.

What are your hobbies outside of work/school?

RF: Hobbies would generally include any pick of sports, but I’m recovering from a sports-related knee surgery right now so that has unfortunately been put on hold. Thankfully I'm at a point now post-op where I can hike, so I have been out exploring the Boulder trails. I would swim in the sea year-round in Ireland and really miss it but am planning to substitute those Irish sea endorphins with that of the Boulder Reservoir once swimming season is back open!

What are you most looking forward to this upcoming academic year?

RF: I’m really excited to study sports law at CU Boulder during the Spring 2026 semester. I’ve studied sports law in Ireland and the UK before, but can’t wait to experience a university program in the United States. Completing formal study in US sports law has always been a goal of mine.

I’m also generally just looking forward to enjoying Thanksgiving and winter in Boulder and witnessing the snow begin to fall in the backdrop of the Boulder flatirons. I haven't had a chance to truly enjoy ski season in Colorado just yet so hopefully (knee permitting) I can experience some winter sports in early 2026 here too.

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Byron White Center Hosts Annual Constitution Day Project

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:10:48 +0000

Byron White Center Hosts Annual Constitution Day Project Cecelia Tecu Mon, 11/03/2025 - 10:10

M.R. Dickey '26

For fourteen years, the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law (BWC) has hosted the Constitution Day Project to provide law students and attorney volunteers the opportunity to teach thought-provoking and current constitutional questions to Colorado high school students. Law students went to high schools across the state to teach nearly 2,000 students about freedom of speech. Their questions covered the First Amendment and its protections, how schools limit their speech rights, Jimmy Kimmel, and AI. The discussions were lively, and the discussion facilitators encouraged opinions and thoughts from young minds to see what Colorado’s future holds.

The Constitution Day Project seeks to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution, introduce critical thinking and legal analysis to high school students, and foster an ongoing conversation between these students and the legal community. The impression law students leave on high schoolers is a significant reason the Constitution Day Project continues to be a popular tradition every year.

Colorado law student volunteers expressed the value of connecting with younger students. Gianni Magnini ’27 shared, “I think getting to teach people about their civil rights, especially in times like these, can be extremely fulfilling. It helped me feel like I could actually do something to perform my civic duty beyond being one of millions of voters in an election. Also, it was fun to be the cold caller for once.”

Magnini had the opportunity to teach Noah Zeppelin’s history class at Cherry Creek High School. “I have had [Colorado Law’s] Constitution Day speakers in my US History classes for a number of years now, and I am always impressed by the way that the lesson directly applies to my students’ lives,” Zeppelin said. “It is always a fun, worthwhile day for both the students and me.”

“From my own personal experience, this is a great way for us law students to give back and stay connected to the community we serve; it is the reason I did it every year in law school and will continue to do so as a practicing attorney,” M.R. Dickey ’26 said. “Having students reach out to me after to ask about my experience and even to satiate their own curiosity on what we discussed is so meaningful.”

Judie Sievers, a teacher at Nederland Middle-Senior High School, remarked on how much the student-to-student engagement meant to her class. Specifically, in discussions during the “hypothetical case” activity. “The activity culminated in a lively classroom debate where students presented and defended their arguments just like real lawyers,” Sievers said. “Madeline [Clark] and Olivia’s [Sharp] enthusiasm and energy kept everyone engaged—and by the end, many students were inspired to consider careers in law themselves.”

Hannah Loiselle ’26, another student volunteer, remarked that she overheard one ninth grader ask her teacher whether their government class “would have debates ‘like this one’ because she really liked it.” Another student spoke to Loiselle and asked about her law school experience.

At the time of Constitution Day, there was increased national dialogue on exercise of freedom of speech. One volunteer shared that navigating this experience with high school students was worrying at first. However, once the volunteer met the students and realized how welcoming and excited they were, she breathed a sigh of relief. She said this was especially relevant considering that “Jimmy Kimmel happened on Wednesday night! Luckily there was just enough news Thursday morning so that I could draw a dotted line between ABC/Disney and the FTC, in response to questions about the state versus private actors’ part of the lesson.” The students wrestled with these difficult questions during the class, but worked to share their ideas while engaging with curriculum.

Andrew Nosler ’27 taught a group of upperclassmen at Rocky Mountain High School, “[T]he students attacked [the lesson] with such amazing engagement and liveliness. My favorite part was when we held ‘fake court’ to resolve a hypothetical free speech issue. The students completely knocked it out of the park. I could tell that they understood some of the First Amendment principles which impact their daily lives, and they were eager to criticize or defend those principles. Once we had started investigating scenarios that could be reflected by their lived experience at school, the students enthusiastically jumped into conversation and debate. I think the Constitution Day program was a wild success, and I should expect that many of those students move past our lesson with some newfound interest in their own civil rights and the Constitution more broadly.”

The BWC is grateful to all volunteers and high school participants who took part in this year’s Constitution Day Project. If you’re interested in being involved next year, please sign up here.

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Matt Schmit Joins Silicon Flatirons as New Executive Director

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:32:38 +0000

Matt Schmit Joins Silicon Flatirons as New Executive Director Cecelia Tecu Mon, 11/03/2025 - 09:32

The University of Colorado Law School and the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship are pleased to announce that Matt Schmit has been named the new Executive Director of Silicon Flatirons.

Schmit joined the Silicon Flatirons team on September 29 and began his work as Director on November 1.

"I've long followed the work of the Silicon Flatirons Center and appreciated its impact on tech policy creation, its support of start-ups and innovation, and its commitment to students and their careers,” Schmit said. “Wherever possible, I've tried to replicate this approach elsewhere. I'm beyond honored to join the dynamic Silicon Flatirons team and carry its impactful legacy forward."

For the past 20 years, Matt has enjoyed consulting, research, policymaking, and program administration primarily in the areas of technology and innovation, infrastructure, and economic competitiveness.

He has worn various hats in pursuit of forward-thinking technology policy, applied research and innovation, and results-driven partnership: as a consultant engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, state legislatures, and policy issues; as academic researcher, published author, and active member of several national policy organizations; as a former state Senator, known for working with colleagues from diverse political and geographic backgrounds; and as a state official and higher education leader, focused on leveraging the full complement of higher education assets to promote technology expansion, foster strategic cross-sector collaboration, and inspire student and institutional interest and engagement.

Between 2013 and 2016 Matt represented his hometown of Red Wing, Minnesota, and surrounding areas in the Minnesota state Senate – where he championed creation of the country’s first dedicated office of broadband development and matching grant program. In this capacity, he served as chair of the Game & Fish Subcommittee; vice chair of the Jobs, Agriculture & Rural Development Committee; and active member on the Transportation Policy & Finance Conference Committee, Energy & Environment, Capital Investment, and Environment, Economic Development & Agriculture Finance committees.

More recently, Matt launched the Illinois Office of Broadband, chaired the Illinois Broadband Advisory Council, and oversaw creation of the Illinois Broadband Lab – a collaborative effort between the state and university system to build capacity, support local engagement, and meet critical federal funding deadlines.

Over his career, Matt has served on various boards and commissions, including but not limited to: the Cook County Council on Digital Equity (CODE), the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) board, the Blandin Broadband Strategies board, the St John's University Board of Regents, and the Minnesota Legislative Water Commission. He represented Minnesota on the National Conference of State Legislatures Nuclear Energy Work Group and Commerce Committee, and he was an active member of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators and State Agriculture and Rural Leaders.

Integration of 21st century infrastructure and service delivery has been a primary focus of his work – and his research. For over a decade, Matt maintained active membership on a standing committee of the Transportation Research Board, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences.

Matt received a masters in public policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a bachelors in political science from Saint John’s University (Minnesota).

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ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:43:48 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Mon, 11/03/2025 - 08:43

Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly round up.

Faculty Publications

Adam B. Sopko, The Supervisory Powers of State Supreme Courts, 98 S. Cal. L. Rev. 1543 (2025)

Jonathon J. Booth, A New Satanic Panic, 36 Yale J.L. & Feminism 102 (2025) (Westlaw login required).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter], Bobby Magill, USDA to Scrap Biden Draft That Saved Imperiled Owl for New Plan, Bloomberg Law (Oct. 27, 2025).

Bobby Magill, Trump's Power to Abolish Monuments Hangs on Prolonged Ruling, Bloomberg Law (Oct. 30, 2025).

[Mark Squillace], Heather Sackett, Boaters, Anglers, Want Clarity Around Public Access to Colorado's Streams, Aspen Journalism (Oct. 27, 2025).

[Vanessa Racehorse], Amanda Pampuro, Indigenous Scholars Advocate for the Land Back Movement, Courthouse News Service (Oct. 23, 2025).

[Michael Pappas], Saqib Rahim, Insurers Flee Wildfire-Prone California Despite State Assistance, E&E News (Oct. 28, 2025).

[Ann Lipton], Maria Aspan, US Chamber of Commerce Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1BVisa Fees, NPR Weekend Edition (Oct. 25, 2025).

Ross Kerber, Elon Musk's $1 Trillion Pay Deal Draws Ire of Labor Unions, Others, as Shareholder Vote Nears, Reuters (Oct. 29, 2025).

[S. James Anaya], Eve Thomas, Mining's Forgotten 'S': Has Decarbonisation Obscured the Social Angle of ESG?, Mining Technology (Oct. 30, 2025).

Faculty and Staff Activities

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

Professor Sloan Speck Joins TaxProf Blog Team of Editors, Colorado Law (Oct. 29, 2025).

Blake Reid (panelist), Other Government Challenges, Connecticut Law Review Symposium: The Fourth Estate in a Time of Crisis (Oct. 22, 2025).

Amanda Parsons (panelist), Teaching Taxation Section, Taxation of Digital Assets After Loper Bright, ABA Virtual Fall Meeting (Oct. 22, 2025).

Amanda Parsons (presenter), University of Florida’s 21st Annual International Tax Symposium (upcoming, Oct. 31, 2025).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog, blog posts available here.

Universal Proxy After Three Years, Shareholder Primacy (Oct. 29, 2025)(with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Violeta Chapin, AllSTARS Workshop with Violeta Chapin: Immigration Law and Policy, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (Oct. 27, 2025).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

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Honorees Announced for 45th Annual Colorado Law Alumni Awards Banquet

Cecelia Tecu — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 15:55:42 +0000

Honorees Announced for 45th Annual Colorado Law Alumni Awards Banquet Cecelia Tecu Thu, 10/30/2025 - 09:55

From every corner of the globe, graduates of Colorado Law are making a profound impact in their communities, embodying the highest values of our institution. At the Law Alumni Awards Banquet, our signature alumni event, the Law Alumni Board has the privilege to honor these exceptional individuals for their lasting contributions to the legal profession, service to their communities, and dedication to the law school.

The honorees for the 2026 Alumni Awards are: David Stark ’73, Hon. Robert Bob E. Blackburn ’75, Kyriaki (Kiki) Council ’17, David W. Douglas ’75, Gloria Jean Garland ’82, Richard M. Murray ’07, and Stephen Hillard ’76. These outstanding alumni will be celebrated at the 45th annual Colorado Law Alumni Awards Banquet on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Sheraton Downtown Denver.

The Law Alumni Board nominations committee accepts nominations for awards year-round with a deadline of July 31 each year. The board votes on award recipients in the fall. Read more about this year’s extraordinary awardees below.

David Stark ’73 - William Lee Knous Award

David W. Stark is a Retired Partner at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. Before his retirement he was Senior Counsel at Faegre Drinker where he served as Professional Responsibility Counsel for the firm and in that role advised the firm and its lawyers on Ethics, Professional Responsibility matters, and claims against the firm. He has practiced law in Colorado for 52 years. As a partner at his firm, he tried scores of complex commercial jury and court trials with an emphasis on professional responsibility, energy, banking, securities fraud, intellectual property, and probate and trust. He also represented clients in numerous appeals, including briefing and oral argument, in state and federal courts.

He is currently chair of the Colorado Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Practice of Law, which oversees the Colorado Attorney Regulation System on behalf of the Colorado Supreme Court (2001 to present). And he is a long-time member of the Colorado Supreme Court Standing Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct, the CBA/DBA Professionalism Coordinating Council, the Colorado Bar Foundation, the Colorado Supreme Court Task Force on Lawyer Well-being, and the chair of the Executive Committee of the Colorado Lawyers Committee.

He has also taught Legal Ethics at the University of Colorado School of Law as an adjunct. He also served on the CU Law Alumni Board as a member and as the chair. Mr. Stark was the Board Chair of Legal Entrepreneurs for Justice (2018-2021); a legal incubator helping to teach and mentor socially conscious lawyers wanting to serve modest means clients. He has promoted and helped create many access-to-justice programs including the Licensed Legal Paraprofessional Program, Succession to Service, and the proposed Virtual Proceedings initiative, now the subject of a Chief Justice Directive.

Mr. Stark currently serves on the Colorado Access to Justice Commission and is the chair of its Delivery Committee. The committee promotes the delivery of legal services from multiple angles. These include Pro Bono Representation, Alternate Providers, Affordable Representation, Local ATJ Committees, and Rural Legal Services. He is a Denver native and a graduate of the University of Colorado, receiving his B.A. in Sociology in 1969 and his J.D. in 1973.

Hon. Robert E. Blackburn ’75 - Distinguished Achievement - Judiciary

Born at an early age as Robert Edward Blackburn on April 12, 1950, in Denver, Colorado, as the first of three children to Harry E. (Ed) Blackburn, Jr., and Charlotte Jane Raser-Blackburn. I was named for my hellraising, hard drinking, gun toting, Pony Express riding, mule skinning great grandfather Bob Blackburn.

After my father graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 1952 with a degree in geophysical engineering, he took a job with Mobil Oil Company, and we began to chase oil and gas from Willows to Stockton, California, to Salt Lake City, Utah, to Durango,

Colorado. In March 1961, my life changed dramatically: we moved from idyllic Durango to Las Animas, Colorado, to life on an irrigated farm and cattle ranch.

Overnight, I went from the fifth grade in a brand-new elementary school to a rustic, paint starved, two-room country schoolhouse – grades one through four in one room and grades five through eight in the other – with no running water or indoor plumbing.

I graduated with honors with 83 condisciples from Las Animas High School in 1968. I was a good student and athlete. My senior year I was all-state in football and all- conference in football, basketball, and baseball.

I spurned a full-ride baseball scholarship to DU in favor of a combined academic and football scholarship to Western State College in Gunnison. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. While at Western, I was a member of the debate team, student body vice-president and then president, and I was introduced to handball – the greatest sport ever devised.

After graduating with honors in May 1972, I began my legal education in August at my favorite law school – CU Law. While attending law school, I worked full-time managing apartment complexes in Boulder for Van Schaack and Company. I graduated in two and one-half years in December 1974, took the bar in February 1975, was admitted to the bar on May 19, 1975, and returned to Las Animas to go to work for the rest of my life.

From May 1975, until roughly May 1980, I was extremely fortunate to be a partner with Oakley Wade in Wade & Blackburn. Thereafter, I was a sole practitioner until July 28, 1988, when then Governor Roy Romer appointed me to the district court bench in the Sixteenth Judicial District, consisting of Bent, Crowley, and Otero counties.

On March 25, 1977, I married Connie, my beautiful and loving wife of 49 years -- and still counting. We have been blessed with three children and eight grandchildren.

I was nominated by President George W. Bush to a position on the District Court for the District of Colorado on September 10, 2001. I was confirmed by the U. S, Senate, by a vote of 98 to 0, on February 26, 2002, and my commission was executed March 6, 2002. It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve as a federal district judge ever since.

Kyriaki (Kiki) Council ’17 - Distinguished Achievement - Recent Alumna

Kiki strives to secure every human’s legal and social rights to autonomy over their choices for their bodies. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Aurora, Colorado, where she attended Smoky Hill High School. Kiki received her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Chicago and her Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado.

For the past decade, Kiki has volunteered and worked in the abortion movement, from abortion clinic escorting in college, to abortion fund board service during her years of private practice, to full-time employment as an abortion rights attorney. Kiki’s pro bono practice is dedicated solely to representing young people in judicial bypass petitions in Colorado so they can access their healthcare without interference. Kiki and the Lawyering Project recently filed a lawsuit in Colorado to enjoin the Parental Notification Act. Before fully dedicating her practice to reproductive rights, health, and justice, Kiki clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and practiced labor and employment defense at private law firms.

In 2022, Kiki helped to draft and pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act, which articulated for the first time, every Coloradoan’s right to reproductive healthcare without governmental interference. RHEA laid the groundwork for Amendment 79, which amends the Colorado Constitution to include the right to reproductive healthcare. Over the years, Kiki has continued to consult and work with advocacy groups like Cobalt, COLOR, and Colorado Doula Project to further secure and fight for reproductive rights in Colorado.

In addition to her passion for reproductive rights, health, and justice, Kiki also cares deeply about creative pursuits, which lately include pottery and ceramics. Kiki currently lives in Denver with her husband, Jack, and their rambunctious toddler, Landon, who was born with the use of assistive reproductive technology. Kiki is extremely grateful for this award and would like to thank her friends and family. This award is dedicated to all the young people she has helped obtain abortions in Colorado and elsewhere.

David W. Douglas ’75 - Distinguished Achievement - Special Recognition

For more than 40 years David Douglas has headed organizations dedicated to providing clean drinking water worldwide. He currently works with international organizations and faith-based entities to ensure adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in hospitals and clinics in developing countries. For 35 years he headed the Santa Fe-based non-profit, Waterlines, which provided technical help and funding for drinking water projects in over 1,000 rural communities, schools and healthcare facilities. Between 2005 and 2022 he led three Washington DC-based advocacy organizations (Water Advocates, Advocates for Development Assistance, and Global Water 2020) designed to increase public and private American support for WASH projects and poverty-focused foreign aid. The initiatives enabled the passage of ground-breaking Congressional legislation and appropriations to bolster international water and sanitation programs.

Earlier in his career he worked as an environmental lawyer and wrote extensively for periodicals on U.S. and international environmental issues. He is the author of Wilderness Sojourn: Notes in the Desert Silence, Letters of Faith, and co-author with his wife, Deborah, of Pilgrims in the Kingdom: Travels in Christian Britain. He is a director of the Wallace Genetic Foundation.

Born in Washington D.C., he and Deborah have lived in Santa Fe for fifty years. Their two daughters, Katie and Emily, son-in-law Jeff, and five grandchildren live in the Boston area.

He is a graduate of Colorado Rocky Mountain School (1967), Ohio’s College of Wooster (1971), and the University of Colorado Law School (1975).

Gloria Jean Garland ’82 - Distinguished Achievement - Public Service

Gloria Jean Garland is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Law in Boulder and subsequently earned an LL.M. in international and comparative law from the Free University of Brussels. She is a human rights lawyer and a retired Foreign Service Officer.

After a decade as a trial lawyer in the San Francisco Bay area, Jean was the first liaison for the American Bar Association’s Central and East European Law Initiative program (CEELI) to the newly independent country of Slovakia. She then worked as a rule of law advisor for USAID in Slovakia and later headed up a USAID-funded project based in Budapest (International Center for Not-for-Profit Law) that focused on developing legal frameworks for civil society organizations in the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. Following that, Jean became the Legal Director for the European Roma Rights Center, an international human rights organization based in Budapest focusing on the rights of Europe’s extended Roma (Gypsy) population, where she litigated numerous human rights cases before the European Court of Human Rights and various UN bodies. She was also an adjunct professor in the Human Rights Division of the Legal Studies Department at Central European University in Budapest.

Jean returned to USAID in 2006 as a Democracy Fellow, later becoming a Foreign Service Officer and serving at USAID headquarters in Washington DC and U.S. Embassies in Haiti, Afghanistan, Colombia, Rwanda, and Mexico. In Haiti, she monitored projects to provide emergency court services after the 2010 earthquake. In Afghanistan, she oversaw projects to develop the capacity of the Afghan judiciary, where the number of women judges increased from 10% to 20% in one year. In Colombia, she directed the Office of Vulnerable Populations focusing on reintegrating child soldiers into the civilian population and on developing the self-governance capacities of the Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations. In Rwanda, she was the Director of USAID’s Office of Governance, Human Rights and Democracy, with programs addressing human trafficking, justice reforms, and post-genocide reconciliation. She and her husband Bruce Byers currently live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Richard M. Murray ’07 - Distinguished Achievement - Private Practice

Richard is a shareholder in the Denver office of the national law firm Polsinelli. His practice focuses on complex litigation matters in the commercial and health care space. Before private practice, he was a law clerk for Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nathan B. Coats.

Richard currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Denver Bar Association, and previously served as the DBA’s Treasurer, First Vice President (twice), and Second Vice President. He previously served as Chair of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission (ATJC), President of Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc. (CBA-CLE), and Chair of CU’s Law Alumni Board.

As Chair of the ATJC, Richard worked to have the 20-year-old Commission codified and established as a Colorado state commission with the passage of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission Act. The Act codified the ATJC into state law, created an annual reporting requirement for the ATJC to present policy and legislative recommendations to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and the Governor, and established the Access to Justice Cash Fund in the state budget.

Richard is a past recipient of the Denver Bar Association’s Volunteer of the Year Award (2024) and Young Lawyer of the Year Award (2018). In 2020, he received the prestigious Richard Marden Davis Award from the Denver Bar Foundation. He has been honored as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Young Professionals in Colorado by ColoradoBiz magazine, named in The Best Lawyers in America®, a ten-time “Rising Star” in Colorado Super Lawyers, and featured as a “Compleat Lawyer” by Law Week Colorado.

While an undergraduate at CU, Richard served as a student body president (Tri-Executive). One of his lasting legacies on the Boulder campus was his leading a capital construction funding initiative that secured funds for the construction of the Wolf Law Building, ATLAS Building, Visual Arts Complex, and addition to the Leeds School of Business.

He resides in Highlands Ranch with his wife, Elizabeth (CU Boulder ’07, B.A. Psychology), and their two children. In their free time, you can find them cheering on the Buffs at Folsom Field and the CU Events Center.

Stephen Hillard ’76 - Distinguished Achievement - Dean’s Choice - Private Practice

Mr. Hillard graduated from high school and attended Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction, CO. His mother was a waitress at Woolworth’s. His father was a deputy sheriff. He spent summers picking fruit with braceros in California.

At Colorado State University he graduated with honors, oversaw all campus media, and won awards in film-making. He received the CSU Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006.

He went to Columbia University as a National Woodrow Wilson Fellow and tutored inmates at Riker’s Island Prison.

At CU Law, Mr. Hillard was Managing Editor of the Law Review, received the Brophy Award as Best Writer, and represented the school in the National Trial Court Competition.

He was honored to serve as law clerk to Justice William H. Erickson on the Colorado Supreme Court.

During his legal career in Alaska, he became a partner in the highly-regarded Los Angeles firm of Munger, Tolles and Olson. He worked extensively with Alaska Natives, ran the largest minority-owned broadcast group in the United States, and pioneered minority participation in the ownership and operation of national wireless businesses.

Mr. Hillard founded Council Tree Communications, a private equity fund, with a commitment to enhance diversity of ownership on a national scale. That work has included substantial participation by Native American, Hispanic, and African-American groups. Examples are control of the Telemundo Network (then the fastest-growing network in the U.S.), and Alaska Native Wireless (then the largest minority-controlled FCC licensee) with 40,000 Native American beneficiaries. He created the Spanish-language television station KMAS in Denver.

In 2015, Mr. Hillard received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

He was an effective supporter for bringing the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder. His first novel, “Mirkwood,” was an Amazon Best Seller. His first movie, “Glowzies,” was filmed in Colorado and premiered at the prestigious Sitges International Film Festival in Spain.

His extensive philanthropy includes CU Law (Indian Law Clinic and Council Tree Endowment), CSU (Philosophy and Agriculture Departments), the Colorado Hispanic Chamber, the Denver University Center for Women, and Escuela Tlatalolco (a charter school for at-risk Hispanic and Indigenous children).

Mr. Hillard resides in Mesa County with his wife, Sharmaine, a native of St. Kitts. Between them, they have seven children and four grandchildren.

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Professor Sloan Speck Joins TaxProf Blog Team of Editors

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 15:07:02 +0000

Professor Sloan Speck Joins TaxProf Blog Team of Editors Cecelia Tecu Wed, 10/29/2025 - 09:07

The Press Release below was Initially Published by the AALS on Oct. 23, 2025. View the original piece here.

Congratulations to Professor Sloan Speck, who recently joined TaxProf Blog as one of their new editors. The blog is widely respected and influential, and focuses on U.S. tax law, legal education, and scholarship, news, and policymaking in these areas. Created and maintained by Paul L. Caron, Dean of Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, TaxProf Blog ran on the Typepad platform from April 2004 to September 2025, publishing over 55,000 posts. It was recently acquired and is now hosted by the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), who will “... maintain the blog’s archives and host new content and personal reflections from Caron and a team of editors.”

“I am honored and thrilled to be named an editor of TaxProf Blog 2.0, and I am excited for my expanded role in producing and managing content for this public platform. I look forward to continuing Dean Caron’s important work for members of the tax community, law school faculty, and general audiences.”

Sloan Speck is Associate Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School. Professor Speck’s teaching and research focus on federal income taxation, with an emphasis on business entity taxation, tax planning, and tax policy. Professor Speck also has scholarly interests in legal education and pedagogy. Read the full press release below.

Press Release: Association of American Law Schools Welcomes TaxProf Blog to its News and Information Hub

We are pleased to announce that AALS is now the exclusive host of TaxProf Blog, a leading source for news, scholarship, and commentary on legal education and tax law for over 20 years. The blog is now available at taxprofblog.aals.org. Founded in 2004 by Paul L. Caron (Dean, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law), TaxProf Blog shut down on September 30 of this year due to the closure of the blogging platform Typepad. This marked the loss of an essential resource for the legal and academic communities: over 800,000 deans, professors, students, lawyers, and others visit TaxProf Blog each year. It is widely read by law professors and lawyers and was named to ABA Journal’s “Blawg 100” in 2013, as well as its “Hall of Fame.”

The AALS acquisition ensures the preservation of TaxProf Blog’s archives and its continued role in providing timely and relevant information to the legal education and tax law communities.

“Led by Paul Caron, TaxProf Blog has been a cornerstone for law school deans, law professors, and tax lawyers for decades and we are honored to bring it back and build on its legacy,” said Kellye Y. Testy, AALS Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. “This addition reflects our commitment to creating resources for legal educators and helping build communities of scholars. We plan to develop similar resources in other substantive areas in the future and we are grateful to Dean Caron for his partnership in launching this effort.”

AALS will maintain the blog’s archives and host new content and personal reflections from Caron and a team of editors. Readers can expect the same news and posts on scholarship, events, data, commentary, and analysis that they have come to expect from the site.

“I could not be more excited about partnering with AALS to keep TaxProf Blog going,” said Caron. “This collaboration will guarantee the blog’s continued growth and accessibility, serving as a vital source of information for legal educators, scholars, and practitioners. I’m pleased to ensure the site’s continuity for years to come with the support of AALS and a community of legal education editors and tax editors.”

The Tax Editors on TaxProf Blog are:

Andrew D. Appleby, University of Tennessee Winston College of Law

Conor Clarke, Washington University School of Law

Jon Endean, Brooklyn Law School

Deanna Newton, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law

Shu-Yi Oei, Duke Law School

Sloan Speck, University of Colorado Law School

Legal Education Editors on TaxProf Blog are:

Alena Allen, Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Michael Madison, University of Pittsburgh School of Law

Austen Parrish, AALS President and Dean, University of California Irvine School of Law

Michael Hunter Schwartz, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

Additional editors and contributors will be announced in the coming weeks. Currently, the relaunched site hosts recent posts and archived content from 2004-13. The remaining historical posts will be added and the entire archive of more than 50,000 posts will be available in November.

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ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:52:09 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Wed, 10/29/2025 - 08:52

Faculty Publications

Blake Reid, Separation of Copyright Powers, SSRN.com (forthcoming, 49 Seattle L. Rev. Online, abstract only). Blake Reid, Separation of Copyright Powers, SSRN.com (forthcoming, 49 Seattle L. Rev. Online, abstract only).

Media Mentions

[Mark Squillace], Hannah Northey, 'Test Case' for NEPA: Fast Tracked Mine Reviews Fuel Outcry, E&E News (Oct. 21, 2025).

[Blake Reid], Shira Ovide, The Fight Between AI Companies and the Websites that Hate Them, Washington Post (Oct. 24, 2025).

Faculty and Staff Activities

[Harry Surden, Scott Skinner-Thompson, Wadie Said, Margot Kaminski, Maryam Jamshidi, Jennifer Hendricks, & Alexia Brunet Marks], Colorado Law Names New Professorships, Dean's Scholars Award Receipients, Colorado Law (Oct. 22, 2025).

[Sloan Speck], James Greif, Association of American Law Schools Welcomes TaxProf Blog to its News and Information Hub, TaxProf Blog (Oct. 23, 2025).

Blake Reid (fireside chat participant), The IP-Labor Interface, Silicon Flatirons Center x Ethics Series (upcoming, Nov. 6, 2025).

Blake Reid & Gabrielle Daley (moderators), AI & the Future of Copyright Politics, Silicon Flatirons Center (upcoming, Nov. 7, 2025).

Govind Persad (panelist), Exploring the Concept of “Waste” in Clinical Decision-Making and Healthcare Policies, American Society for Bioethics & Humanities Annual Conference (Portland, OR, upcoming, Oct. 25, 2025)(with Laura Guidry-Grimes, PhD, HEC-C; Olivia Kates, MD, MA; Maria Merritt, PhD.)

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog, blog posts available here.

Shareholder Proposals and Delaware Law, Shareholder Primacy (Oct. 22, 2025)(with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Margot Kaminski's Regulating the Risks of AI, was listed on SSRN's Top Downloads for: Data Science, Data Analytics & Informatics eJournal.

[Violeta Chapin], Professor Violeta Chapin Receives Women Who Light the Community Award, Colorado Law (Oct. 22, 2025).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

Daniel Anderson [GWC Water Law Fellow], Could Good Samaritans Fix America's Abandoned Hardrock Mine Problem?, GWC (Oct. 20, 2025).

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Colorado Law names new Professorships, Dean’s Scholars Award Recipients

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:20:38 +0000

Colorado Law names new Professorships, Dean’s Scholars Award Recipients Cecelia Tecu Wed, 10/22/2025 - 09:20

Colorado Law is thrilled to announce our newest Professorships, along with the three recipients of the Dean’s Scholar Awards. These individuals already bring their valuable expertise, leadership, and scholarship to our faculty, and we look forward to their continued impact. Please join us in extending our sincerest congratulations to them.

Alexia Brunet Marks

Dean’s Scholar Award

Alexia Brunet Marks is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School. Professor Brunet Marks is a globally recognized food law scholar who researches the connections between our prevailing food system and its effects on food safety, nutrition, agricultural labor and soil health. She teaches Food Law and Policy, Torts, International Business Transactions and International Trade Law. Her recent work on regenerative agriculture was selected for the 2025 Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review. She has published in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, the Harvard Journal on Regulation, and the North Carolina Law Review, and has authored several book chapters.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this prestigious research award,” said Brunet Marks. “It brings me great joy to contribute to this talented research faculty and to make meaningful impacts in the communities that I serve.”

Maryam Jamshidi

Dean’s Scholar Award

Maryam Jamshidi is an Associate Professor of Law who teaches and writes in the areas of national security law, public international law, the law of foreign relations, and tort law. In particular, her scholarship focuses on the relationship between the private sphere and national security, as well as the law of foreign relations. In exploring these dynamics, Professor Jamshidi's work draws on political and critical theory, as well as sociology. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Cornell Law Review, the Washington University Law Review, the Harvard National Security Journal, amongst others. She also regularly publishes in popular media outlets.

"I’m honored to be selected as a Dean’s Scholar,” Jamshidi shared. “Colorado Law has a venerable history of excellent and innovative legal scholarship. I hope to contribute to that legacy over the period of my award and beyond."

Scott Skinner-Thompson

Dean’s Scholar Award

Scott's Skinner-Thompson's research and teaching interests are in constitutional law, civil rights, and privacy law, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ and HIV issues. His current work focuses on the legal construction of gender and legal protections for transgender people, including his article, Identity by Committee, a 2024 recipient of a Dukeminier Award for best LGBTQ law review articles. His other scholarship has been published in the Georgetown Law Journal, Michigan Law Review, Northwestern University Law Review, UC Davis Law Review, Yale Law Journal Forum, and Columbia Law Review Online, and he served as editor of and contributing author to AIDS and the Law (Wolters Kluwer, 5th ed., 2016; 6th ed., 2020). His shorter work has appeared in Slate, Salon, The New Republic, and elsewhere.

Skinner-Thompson shared: “I’m truly moved to receive this recognition and look forward to continuing to work with my tremendous colleagues to produce cutting-edge legal scholarship that, hopefully, improves people’s daily lives.”

Wadie Said

Nicholas Rosenbaum Professorship

Wadie Said is a professor of law whose scholarship analyzes the challenges inherent in adjudicating issues that touch on foreign policy, national security, and criminal law more broadly. His most recent work has appeared in the Wisconsin Law Review, the UCLA Law Review, and the South Carolina Law Review, among others. He is the author of Crimes of Terror (Oxford University Press 2015, paperback 2018), a comprehensive study of the modern terrorism prosecution, covering such topics as coercive interrogation, the use of informants, and the ban on providing material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations. He is currently at work on a book on the role of the Palestinian question in shaping American law, which is forthcoming from Princeton University Press. He teaches courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, immigration law, and seminars in international human rights, counterterrorism, and advanced criminal justice.

“It is a great honor to have been awarded the Nicholas Rosenbaum Professorship, especially as its stated mission is to recognize individuals for their scholarship, and also given the many distinguished holders of this chair in the past,” Said said. “My goal is to attempt to live up to this impressive and prominent legacy by producing scholarly work commensurate with the chair’s prominence.”

Jennifer Hendricks

Henry S. and Jean Naylor Lindsley Memorial Professorship

Jennifer Hendricks joined the CU faculty in 2012, teaching family law and civil procedure. She previously taught at the University of Tennessee College of Law. Her research interests include sex equality and sex differences, constitutional family law, equality in sports, and relational feminist theory. Professor Hendricks studied mathematics and women's studies at Swarthmore College and law at Harvard University. She then practiced plaintiffs' trial and appellate litigation in Montana, where she specialized in constitutional, employment, and discrimination cases.

“I’m grateful to hold the Lindsley professorship, and I’m looking forward to asking our research librarians to help me find out about the lives of Henry and Jean Lindsley and the legacy they left to the law school,” Hendricks said. “For me, this professorship marks a shift in my research agenda from the law of pregnancy and motherhood to whether and how social/legal institutions (like families, juries, and universities) can promote democracy and serve as havens for value systems other than neoliberal selfishness.”

Margot Kaminski

Moses Lasky Professorship

Margot Kaminski's work specializes in the law of new technologies, focusing on information governance, privacy, and freedom of expression. Recently, her work has focused on AI Law; she is currently drafting a leading co-authored casebook in the field. In 2018, Professor Kaminski conducted research on comparative data privacy law as a recipient of the Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Grant. In 2024, she conducted research on comparative AI Law at the European University Institute (EUI) as a Fernand Braudel Senior Fellow and recipient of a 2024 Fulbright-Schuman Grant. She is a 2024-25 Faculty Associate of the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University and an Affiliated Fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School.

"It's a true honor to be awarded the Moses Lasky Professorship, and a responsibility I don't take lightly,” Kaminski said. “Lasky was one of our most distinguished alumni, who combined high intellectual achievement with a dedication to civic involvement and public service. I understand and value this legacy, and am grateful for the recognition and support for my ongoing work."

Harry Surden

Hatfield Professorship

Harry Surden’s research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and law. Recognized as a leading scholar in this field, Professor Surden is known for originating the concept of "computable contracts" and for his widely-cited articles on topics such as AI Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, AI ethics and loyalty, computable law, machine learning and law, autonomous systems, as well as related work on patent law, copyright law, and information privacy law.

“I’m honored to be named the Hatfield Professor of Law,” Surden said. “This recognition is especially meaningful as it echoes the incredible career of Dale Hatfield, a pioneer in telecommunications and technology policy, and also supports my own ongoing research at the intersection of law, technology, and public policy."

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Professor Violeta Chapin receives Women Who Light the Community Award

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:38:29 +0000

Professor Violeta Chapin receives Women Who Light the Community Award Cecelia Tecu Wed, 10/22/2025 - 08:38

Professor Violeta Chapin, who leads our Immigration Defense Clinic, was recently honored by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce as one of their 2025 Women Who Light the Community! This honor celebrates women who have made significant contributions to the Boulder community through leadership, advocacy, and service. Professor Chapin's work in the Immigration Defense Clinic has empowered countless students and clients, advancing justice and equity both inside and outside the classroom. Her recognition reflects not only her deep commitment to public service, but also the transformative impact of clinical education at Colorado Law.

Chapin shared: “The community is the focus of this award, and I’m delighted that my students and I in the Immigration Clinic at Colorado Law have been able to support and uplift so many of our immigrant community members.”

In her remarks, Professor Chapin told the stories of two clients that the clinic has helped, noting the legal barriers these individuals had to navigate and how the support of the Immigration Defense Clinic helped them accomplish some of their goals. Chapin expressed her gratitude toward the Boulder community for supporting the clinic's work, noting that she and her students have “...been able to help our immigrant clients in concrete ways because of this community support, and it never fails to remind me that it takes a village, a small but mighty village, to do this work.”

Professor Violeta Chapin joined the Colorado Law faculty after serving for seven years as a trial attorney with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS). She has represented both adult and juvenile indigent defendants charged with serious felony offenses at all stages of trial. Prior to her work as a public defender, Professor Chapin had clinical experience performing appellate litigation in a capital case on behalf of a death row inmate, working together with attorneys at the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. Professor Chapin also worked with incarcerated youth in Louisiana and monitored the state's compliance with a consent decree to provide a safe and rehabilitative environment to children imprisoned in detention centers across the state.

Professor Chapin brings a wealth of experience of working with indigent populations outside of the United States as well, as she previously worked with poor farmers and families in rural El Salvador in an internationally funded water project. Born in and having lived in Central America, Professor Chapin brings a rich cultural background and a firm commitment to justice for all people to Colorado Law.

We are honored to have Professor Chapin as part of our faculty and celebrate her continued leadership and impact on both the law school and the wider Boulder community.

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MSL Spotlight: Tanner Feith '24

Emily Battaglia — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 17:49:22 +0000

MSL Spotlight: Tanner Feith '24 Emily Battaglia Mon, 10/20/2025 - 11:49

Colorado Law’s Master of Studies in Law (MSL) in ethics and compliance degree is a one-year, 28-credit, no LSAT required program that enables students who hold at least an undergraduate degree to obtain legal training short of a full Juris Doctor (JD). A part-time option is also available for students who want to advance their education and obtain their degree with their existing employment. MSL alumni go on to a variety of careers, including compliance work within multiple top tier universities, national-scale hospital groups, multiple financial institutions, professional sports teams, law enforcement, food production, luxury goods, real estate, technology and electronics, government, resource extraction, and more.

We are thrilled to be highlighting one of our incredible alumni, Tanner Feith ’24. Learn more about Tanner and how his MSL degree impacted his career by reading the Q&A below!

What inspired you to pursue an MSL degree?

TF: As an undergraduate student, I began connecting with numerous people in the sports industry to seek their advice on how I could differentiate myself in an ultra-competitive field. One common theme emerged: the importance of obtaining a postgraduate degree. When I started my research on different options, the MSL program stood out to me because it gave me an opportunity to be fully integrated with law students, gain an understanding of important legal concepts, and expand my critical thinking and communication skills. When asked about the program, colleagues, friends, and mentors are often impressed by the translatable skills to the sports industry regarding compliance situations and tell me how they wish they had found a program similar when they graduated from college. I quickly realized this program would give me multiple career options upon graduation and help me stand out among a pool of extremely qualified candidates in the job market.

Can you share more about your current role and how your MSL degree impacted your career path since graduating?

TF: Upon graduating, I joined the Los Angeles Rams’ football communications department and spent the 2024 season with the team. In my role, I assisted with player and coach media availabilities, designed and produced our weekly game release that included key statistics and player features shared with media outlets and broadcast teams, and launched The Rams Rush, a one-page statistical review highlighting key milestones and unique facts. Following the season, I transitioned into a new hybrid role with the Arizona Cardinals, where I handle both corporate and football communications. Since joining the team in June, I have been involved with the launch of the Arizona Cardinals Foundation and its flagship event, the Cardinals Climb, along with an announcement for our new training facility and a first-of-its-kind fan travel program, Cardinals Premier Travel. On the football side of things, I continue to assist our players and coaches regarding media availability and have continued my statistics passion by designing our weekly one-page statistics sheet, NoteCARDS.

While my role doesn’t explicitly involve compliance and ethics, every day I see a correlation between my MSL degree and tasks that are put on my plate. I truly do not believe I would have the business or legal acumen to understand the magnitude of our corporate initiatives without completing the program. It has helped me to be able to communicate effectively with multiple departments and allowed me to understand their goals and accomplishments in order to find the most productive way to gain media attention. I feel qualified to answer important questions and am not afraid to speak up, thanks to the valuable knowledge and skills that I learned in the MSL program.

What advice would you give to those considering an MSL degree?

TF: No matter what career field you are interested in pursuing, there is immense value in an MSL degree. Understanding compliance and ethics applies to every job and will help you create value for an organization. For me, it helped qualify me for a hybrid role in the NFL. Everybody has their own path, but this program gave me the most valuable career gift: options. As you consider this program, I recommend that you reach out to people who are currently active in the field that you’re interested in, pick their brains about how the program could help them in their current or future role, and speak with Amy, John, and/or Melanie to get your questions answered.

What was your favorite part of earning your MSL at Colorado Law

TF: The MSL program does a fantastic job of making you feel at home and a part of the Colorado Law family from the jump. Amy Bauer, John Francis, and Melanie Kay are incredible mentors and were so willing to go above and beyond to accommodate my work schedule and answer every question I had (there were a lot!). To this day, I stay in touch with other MSL classmates and always make it a point to try and see them when I get back to Colorado. Besides the amazing people you are surrounded by every day, it just so happens that you get to attend class on the greatest college campus in America.

The MSL program is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 academic year. Applicants must complete the MSL Application and submit all supporting materials by July 1, 2026.

We are thrilled to be highlighting one of our incredible MSL alumni, Tanner Feith ’24. Learn more about Tanner and how his MSL degree impacted his career by reading the Q&A below!

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