2017 Social Justice Fellows
Social Justice Fellows Selected for Summer 2017
Windsor Law has awarded 10 Social Justice Fellowships for the Summer of 2017. These Fellowships provide financial, career development and networking support to students interested in social justice advocacy. Since the inception of this program in 2005, more than $350,000 in financial support has been provided to students to support their social justice pursuits internationally and domestically.
In announcing the summer fellows, Dean Chris Waters noted “these are high impact experiential learning opportunities for students and provide useful contributions to community organizations. I am delighted that we have established ongoing relationships with several of these community partners and that we have been able to grow the number of fellowships.”
The 2017 Windsor Law Alumni Social Justice Fellows are:
Ilija Dimeski (1L JD) will complete his fellowship at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, Toronto. The Human Rights Legal Support Centre advances equality and protects human rights by providing legal support services to those who have faced discrimination.
Nadia Bakhtiari (2L Dual JD) will spend her summer at the Barbra Schlifer Clinic in Toronto, supporting the clinic’s activities advocating for womens’ rights particularly in relation to family, immigration, criminal and sexual assault law.
Stephanie Fong (2L Dual JD) will travel to Bangalore, India to work with the International Justice Mission fighting forced labour slavery and human trafficking.
Veronica Guido (1L JD) and George Lin (1L JD), in partnership with the Indigenous Justice Division of the Ministry of the Attorney, will work with the Chippewas of Rama First Nation and Walpole Island First Nation, respectively, supporting Indigenous outreach and legal services programs, as part of the Debwewin Summer Program.
1L Dual JD student, Alexandra Jockwig-Welsh’s summer with the Great Lakes Environmental Law Centre in Detroit, Michigan, will allow her to play an active role in the protection of the Great Lakes, the world’s greatest freshwater resource while shaping the future of environmental law.
Laura Noceta (2L JD) will be based in Toronto, supporting the work of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, the world’s leading organization aiding and protecting people forced to flee their homes due to violence, conflict and persecution. Laura received the Stitt, Feld, Handy, Social Justice Fellowship for Africa.
Jessica Proskos (1L JD) will travel to the Hague to complete her fellowship with the International Criminal Court, which investigates and prosecutes the gravest crimes of concern to the international community, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Jessica received the Bruce and Nancy Elman Social Justice Fellowship in Governance and Democracy.
Mercedes Alexia Sretenovic (1L JD) will support the efforts of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) to defend equality rights enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms more than 30 years ago. Mercedes received the Justice Saul Nosanchuk Social Justice Fellowship in Criminal Law.
Sarah Voegeli (2L JD) will work with the Diocese of London Refugee Ministry, providing advocacy and support services for refugee claimants in Canada. Sarah received the Dean’s Social Justice Fellowship.