On March 28, Cooley Law School’s Tampa Bay campus recognized students for their achievements during an honors convocation.
Courtney Yonker was presented with the Leadership Achievement Award, which acknowledges those students who have consistently, comprehensively, and effectively provided leadership in a variety of capacities. The award is intended to be the culmination of the recipient’s participation in leadership activities at Cooley.
Yonker, who is from Tampa, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tampa. Whileat Cooley, she was selected as a Dean’s Fellow and served as Moot Court’s chairperson and chief justice. Yonker also served as a Cooley Ambassador and as a member of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers. During the convocation she was also recognized for service as the Lead Dean’s Fellow working closely with the Academic Resource Center and serving as an intermediary between the center’s faculty and staff and other Dean’s Fellows.
The Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award was presented to Mya Hurwitz. The award is given to selected graduating students based on academic accomplishments, professionalism and ethics, leadership, extracurricular activities, and post-graduation plans. The recipients are selected by the past presidents and executive committee of the Cooley Alumni Association. Recipients are presented a diploma frame from the law school.
Hurwitz earned her bachelor’s degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. While at Cooley, she was selected as a Dean’s Fellow and served as a teaching assistant and president of the Student Bar Association. Hurwitz was a member of the Cooley Law Review, International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi, and the Florida Association of Women Lawyers.
Each year, Cooley Law School’s student body selects one adjunct faculty member to be the recipient of the Frederick J. Griffith III Adjunct Faculty Award. Professor Mustafa Ameen, who teaches Florida Criminal Practice and Florida Drunk Driving Law, and is a partner at Ameen & Shafii Attorneys at Law was presented the award, which was established in memory of Rick Griffith, who taught as an adjunct for nearly two decades until he passed away at the age of 52.
The award is presented in recognition of a member of the adjunct faculty whose service best reflects the character and attributes of Griffith: dedication to the law school, excellence in teaching, passion for persuasive advocacy, compassion for law students, and optimism about life and the future of legal education.
(L-R) Shameka Conwell, Katherine Semone, Distinguished Student Award winner Mya Hurwitz, and Rob Johnson.
(L-R) National Competition Teams-Chester Bedell Mock Trial Competition Team Members: Left to right: Jaxon Parker, Steve Chandler, Safa Kudia, Alan Bangiev, Stephanie McKinney, Michelle Guzman, and Karly Hudson.
Thee Yonker family celebrates daughter Courtney Yonker's accomplishments.