User:Cystik/Root-Tilden

Overview The Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship (see also Root-Tilden, Root-Tilden-Snow) is a full-tuition public service scholarship for students at New York University School of Law.

The Program The Root-Tilden-Kern Program looks for students with a demonstrated commitment to the public interest, exceptional leadership ability, and a history of academic achievement. In assessing these criteria, the program looks at the whole person and considers previous life experience and professional work. The program values diversity and strives to select a class that is diverse in terms of race, sex, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, geographic origins, and ideology. Interested candidates should submit an application with their application to New York University School of Law. The application is reviewed by a student and faculty committee before recommendation for an interview. Each year approximately 50 applicants are invited to interview with a panel comprised of a faculty member, a judge, a practitioner, and third-year scholars. Twenty scholars are selected for each incoming class.

History In the 1950s, Dean Emeritus Arthur Vanderbilt conceived of the Root-Tilden Scholarship to transform NYU from a local law school to a nationally and internationally esteemed institution. Founded in 1951, the purpose of the Program was to “train promising young men so as to help attain again for the American bar the high position which it once held as the reservoir of altruistic and competent public leadership.”

The Program was named for two alumni, Elihu Root and Samuel Tilden, who exemplified Vanderbilt’s ideal – lawyers dedicated to public leadership. Twenty scholars were selected for the first class from each of the country’s then 10 judicial circuits. Scholars were at first required to take special courses in the humanities, social sciences, history, and natural sciences and required to live together and share mealtimes five days a week. Scholars would meet with leaders in government, industry, and finance. In 1969, after a campaign by student groups, women were first admitted to the Root Program. To date, more than 800 Root-Tilden- Scholars have graduated from NYU School of Law.

Notable Scholars Daniel Abrahamson, ‘91, Director of Legal Affairs, Drug Policy Alliance Jane Aiken, ‘83, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center Lamar Alexander, ‘65, U.S. Senator (R-Tennessee) Mary Anderson, ‘98, Chief of Policy and Special Counsel, Office of Illinois Attorney General Vicki Been, ‘83, Professor of Law, NYU Jeremy Ben-Ami, ‘90, Executive Director, J Street Pasco Middleton Bowman II, Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Thomas Buergenthal, ‘60, Judge, International Court of Justice Derwyn Bunton, ‘98, Chief Public Defender, Orleans Public Defenders Office Hamilton Candee, ‘83, Of Counsel, Altshuler Berzon LLP Diana DeGette, ‘82, U.S. House of Representatives (D-Colorado) Donald Elliott, ‘57, Chairman, City Planning Commission Elaine Fink, ‘80, Managing Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati Anthony Foxx, ‘96, Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina Karen Freedman, ‘80, Executive Director, Lawyers for Children Margaret Fung, ‘78, Executive Director, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund John Greaney, ‘63, Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Court Sharon Kang Hom, Executive Director, Human Rights in China Richard Joel, President, Yeshiva University Herbert Kelleher, co-founder and former chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines Jerome Kern, ‘60, senior partner at Baker & Botts and Vice-Chair of TCI Telecommunications Dorchen Leidholdt, ‘88, Legal Director, Sanctuary for Families Martin Lipton, ‘54, founding partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz Nancy Lublin, ‘01, CEO, Do Something Susan Malveaux, Professor of Law, Catholic University Douglas McFarland, Professor, Hamline University and former U.S. Senate Candidate from Minnesota. James Milliken, President, University of Nebraska Geri Palast, ‘76, Executive Director, Campaign for Fiscal Equality Peter Pitegoff, Dean, University of Maine Law School Stewart Pollock, ‘57, former NJ Supreme Court Justice Alex Reinert, ‘99, Assistant Professor of Law, Cardozo Law School Connie Rice, civil rights activist, co-founder of Advancement Project Janet Sabel, ‘84, General Counsel, Legal Aid Society of New York Michael Sarbanes, ‘92, Executive Director, Citizens Planning and Housing Association Andrew Siegel, ‘99, Associate Professor of Law, University of Seattle Herbert Wachtell, ‘54, founding partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz Seth Harris, ’90, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor Steven W. Hawkins, ’88, Executive Vice-President, NAACP Peter Koneazny, ’83, Litigation Director, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee Felicia A. Marcus, ’83, Western Director, National Resources Defense Council Christopher Meade, ’96, Principal Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Department of Treasury Wayne Outten, ’74, founding partner, Outten & Golden, LLP Zama Coursen-Neff, ’98, Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch Julie Brill, '85, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission