Calhoun Family Fellowship

The Calhoun Family Fellowship at Seattle University School of Law was established through the generosity of The Calhoun Family, Seattle, WA, in 2018. This fellowship provides an immersive opportunity to engage with lawyers, judges, those directly impacted by the legal system, and community advocates who are working on issues of racial justice in the criminal legal system and beyond. Professors Jessica Levin and Melissa Lee, co-directors of the Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice, supervise the fellows. This fellowship is comprised of three experiential components that take place during 1L year, leadership development during 2L year, and placement in the Civil Rights Clinic during 3L year. All first year JD students are welcome to apply.

• Calhoun Fellowship Application

Racial Justice Speaker Series (1L Spring Semester)

Fellows will have an opportunity to engage with lawyers, judges, those directly impacted by the legal system, and community advocates who are working on issues of race equity in the criminal legal system and beyond. Supported by this corps of guest speakers, the Calhoun fellowship supervisors will engage the fellows in regular discussions about the intersection of race and justice, as well as the challenges and opportunities that arise in racial justice advocacy.

“I have learned a lot about the criminal legal system through this fellowship. More specifically, the outcomes we see in someone’s life usually have a much more complicated story than what we see. Criminality is associated with so many other factors: education, socioeconomic status, family background, etc. and a lot of the current “solutions” do not adequately consider some very important factors.”
-- Kevin Oywak, '28

Trip to Montgomery, Alabama (1L Spring Break)

Fellows will travel to Montgomery, AL, to explore the legacy of slavery and the many forms of racial disparity in the criminal legal system by visiting Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum and Memorial and engaging in discussions about racial justice work with EJI staff.

“One experience that truly encompassed the fellowship was the tour at the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Museum. What stuck out the most was a quote by Bryan Stevenson on the wall at the end of the tour saying: ‘We stand on the shoulders of many who did so much more with so much less. We resolve to honor their legacy and continue the struggle.’ This quote put into perspective the reality behind the struggle to get to where we are today. As a first-generation law student from the Yakima Valley, I have felt like I am in a constant battle to fight for my right to exist. Reading this quote at the end of the legacy museum showed me that I have the power and tools not only to dream of a world where my people do not have to fight just to be seen, but also to be part of creating that world.”
-- Favian Mares, '28

Paid Summer Fellowship (1L Summer)

Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in racial justice advocacy and enhance their lawyering skills through a paid summer internship. Professors Lee and Levin, as well as past Calhoun Fellows, will collaborate with current fellows to find appropriate placements at external organizations working on racial justice related issues. Fellows and supervisors will meet as a cohort biweekly through the summer to discuss their work and consider how they can use their talents to become leaders for equal justice.

During Summer 2026, Tiarra Bryant, '28, worked in partnership with Seattle Clemency Project on a project that she designed to improve releasability and reentry outcomes for those sentenced before Washington state enacted the Sentencing Reform Act (SRA) in 1984. Tiarra explains: “In the decades since their convictions and sentencing, our understanding of trauma, mental health, and rehabilitation has evolved significantly. I am looking forward to learning from some of the best post-conviction defense attorneys working to free those serving sentences that no longer serve the interest of justice.”

Leadership Development (2L Year)

Fellows will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills in their 2L year by helping to recruit the new cohort of fellows in the fall semester and by serving as mentors to that cohort during the spring semester. As part of the mentorship, 2L fellows will share their experiences and help guide the 1L fellows in their search for summer opportunities. 2L fellows will receive a stipend for their time.

Civil Rights Clinic (3L Fall or Spring Semester)

Fellows will have the opportunity to enroll in the Civil Rights Clinic during either semester of their 3L year, where they will apply what they have learned throughout the fellowship to work directly on issues of racial justice through both litigation and policy projects. Enrollment in the Civil Rights Clinic is not a mandatory component of the fellowship, but those fellows who are interested will receive preference in the clinic lottery.