In September, the organization hosted a Penny Wars competition, allowing students to vote on the upcoming auction theme by donating spare change. This initiative built awareness and anticipation for the event in addition to raising $700 towards the mission. This year’s theme is the Wizard of Oz/Wicked and participants are encouraged to embrace the theme by dressing up in costumes.

Last year, the auction raised more than $25,000 and provided financial grants for seven School of Law students. The impact and success of this event was recognized in 2024 when PILP was honored with the SBA Student Organization of the Year award.

Public interest law interns provide pro bono aid to individuals who face complex legal issues and lack effective representation. The PILP student grants provide financial support, allowing students to gain valuable legal experience while making a meaningful impact in their communities 

Third-year law student and PILP grant recipient Alexandra Chura, JD ’25 emphasizes the profound impact of the grant program not only in shaping the knowledge and experience of aspiring lawyers but also in reinforcing the deeper purpose behind public interest law.

“People are so much more than a crime they commit in a momentary lapse of judgment. I want to remind people at the end of the day they matter too," said Chura. “Public interest is a field full of people who genuinely care about other people, at the most simple human level. Yet, public interest is the most underfunded and underpaid area of law. PILP ensures that students who are interested in public interest can pursue their genuine desire to help others and not sacrifice that desire because the money is not there.”

For many students, like second-year law student Erin Leather, JD ’26, PILP allows them to fulfill their goal of making a difference in the criminal justice system without the financial pressures of an unpaid internship during law school.

“PILP is crucial to many students who are here at Quinnipiac on scholarships and loans,” said Leather. “Most if not all of us have some sort of educational debt from undergrad alone and the financial risk of law school and higher education can be terrifying. Without PILP many of us simply couldn't afford to go into this field and there wouldn't be as many aspiring lawyers who get to experience that validating feeling I felt during my 1L summer.”

In addition to providing pivotal financial assistance, the PILP grants allow law students to explore a broad exposure of law and fully immerse themselves in hands-on legal experience, furthering their professional growth.

“The PILP grant was immensely helpful to me as it allowed me to work much longer than the average intern, thereby giving me broader exposure to different areas of the law,” said second-year law student Brian Bobka, JD ’26. “Because of
the grant, I was able to be one of only a handful of interns to work a full 40-hour work week in person for ten weeks consecutively. The grant program was fantastic in alleviating real-life concerns about bills and finances by becoming a resource and vehicle in helping me gain legal skills and connections that I otherwise would not have.”

The 2024 PILP grant recipients represent esteemed School of Law students who are dedicated to using their legal education to serve the public interest.

Last year's recipients include: 

• Brian Bobka, JD ’26 – Office of the Connecticut Attorney General, Environmental Section

• Savannah Tejada ’22, JD ’25 – NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV)

• Erin Leather, JD ’26 – Public Defender Services, New Haven Superior Court

• Alexandra Chura, JD ’25 – Luzerne County Public Defender’s Office

• Hannah Gorman, JD ’25 – Louisiana Capital Assistance Center (LCAC)

• Christopher Winters ’23, JD ’26 – Federal Defender’s Office of New Haven

• Elia Sanchez, JD ’26 – New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Immigration Unit 

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