Five Rutgers Law–Camden students have been named 2014 Eagleton Graduate Fellows, joining an elite class of 27 members selected from hundreds across the university for the honored tradition of placing Rutgers students in the New Jersey State Legislature and Governor’s Office each spring since 2000.
According to Clinical Professor of Law Harriet Katz, who directs the externship program at Rutgers Law–Camden, the Eagleton Graduate Fellowship Program, which provides three different types of fellowships, offers significant opportunities for law students.
“During the fall term, Eagleton Fellows study government policy with graduate and professional students from other disciplines, a rare opportunity for law students,” states Katz. “In the spring term of their fellowship year, the students participate in New Jersey government, as well as continue learning with graduate students in history, political science, public administration, and other fields. It’s a great opportunity to broaden their thinking about public issues.”
Rutgers Law–Camden third-year students Leah DiMatteo and Lauren Martinez and part-time law student Steven Brody, are recipients of the Henry J. Raimondo Legislative Fellowship, which are offered to just eight individuals each year to honor the memory of Henry J. Raimondo.
Brody, an accountant for the New Jersey State Police, says the fellowship will help prepare him for his goal of running for office in the Garden State.
"The Eagleton Fellowship is offering me an unparalleled opportunity to learn from political titans, work inside the State House, and study alongside politically engaged Rutgers students from across the state," says Brody, who will graduate this May.
All three of the of Raimondo Eagleton Fellows are now enrolled in the Legislative Policy Making seminar and next semester will be placed in the New Jersey Senate Republican Office (Brody); the bipartisan Office of Legislative Services (DiMatteo); and the New Jersey Senate Majority Office (Martinez).
While the full immersion of this program hasn’t begun, Martinez, who is also considering a career in politics, has already benefited significantly from her out-of-the-classroom experience.
“This fellowship has provided me with the opportunity to learn the insides of the legislative process from highly regarded politicians from all over the nation,” says Martinez, who worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and argued various proceedings for the District of New Jersey. “I have been able to meet some of the most humble and intelligent individuals from all sides of the political spectrum. It's especially provided me with confidence in the system; there is an ability to help a wide variety of people, you just need to know how to do it effectively.”
For DiMatteo, an interest in political life emerged more recently, but is eager to begin learning more comprehensively about the legislative process. She notes: “Many of the Fellowship recipients have spent years participating in the political process…It was only after I attended a committee meeting last year and actually saw the legislative process in action that I developed an interest in public policy and lawmaking. I loved listening to the testimony of community members and witnessing the effect it had on the assembly men and women. I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
Third-year Rutgers Law–Camden students Peter Fu and Adam Scalice are recipients of the Governor’s Executive Fellowship.
In addition to the three-credit seminar underway this semester and the 15-hour-per-week government placements this spring for all Eagleton Fellows, the program also hosts monthly group meetings in Trenton.
“The most fascinating aspect of being an Eagleton Fellow is the interaction with representatives from the three branches of New Jersey government,” notes Fu, a Taiwanese immigrant and former intern for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and House of Representatives. “These small group sessions provide an environment reminiscent of FDR's fire place chats, forums to openly dialogue with New Jersey leadership about the future of our state.”
This exposure to leaders in the Garden State pleases Princeton resident Adam Scalice, whose 10-year service in the U.S. Marines Corps has allowed him to observe firsthand the painful struggle of societies where no laws exist.
"Deploying to Iraq gave me to the opportunity to see the total absence of law and its terrible effect on people’s lives" offers Scalice. "Law is more than righting wrongs, compensating the injured, and punishing criminals. The foundation of law, on which a society is built, speaks volumes about its character."