The Dean’s Scholarship Dinner began as a fundraiser initiated by the Law School’s Board of Visitors in April 2013, to honor Daniel F. Attridge, during his inaugural year as Dean of the Columbus School of Law. Since then, Catholic Law has continued the spring tradition and contributions from the annual event are used to support the Law School’s general student scholarship fund. With ongoing health and safety guidelines, Catholic Law celebrated student scholarships on April 22, 2021, with a virtual Dean’s Benefit for Student Scholarship, with plans for a Dean’s Dinner to be held this fall.

This year’s event featured a keynote address from Catholic Law alumnus The Honorable Brendan Carr ’05 as well as remarks from soon-to-be graduate, Nicolas Valderrama (3L). Dean Stephen Payne welcomed guests and introduced the evening’s speakers. Carr spoke about his journey to regulatory law, recounting his time at Catholic Law and the practical skills he received, and how he went on to leverage these skills into a career. Carr noted, in particular, the “opportunities that have arisen from the foundation provided by Catholic.” Carr also graciously answered questions from those in attendance, addressing several topics in the telecommunications regulatory space including his work on telehealth and infrastructure, and the “democratization” of journalism and its impact on regulation.

Valderrama, who is pursuing a certificate from the Securities Law Program and has been an engaged member of the Catholic Law community all three years, shared his story as a student who has personally benefited from the generosity of Catholic Law alumni and the Student Scholarships Fund—highlighting the powerful effect scholarships have on a law school community. Valderrama noted, “beyond just providing financial support, donors actively root for our success and are eager to help the next generation of law students.” He also shared that he looks forward to the day when he too can give back to Catholic Law.

You can view a recording of the event below.