NEW YORK (April 25, 2022) – Mayor Eric Adams will address Pace University’s Commencement and will receive an honorary doctorate, Pace University President Marvin Krislov announced today. U.S. Rep. Grace Meng and finance and philanthropy leader Baroness Ariane de Rothschild, a Pace alumna, will also be recognized at the University’s first in-person Commencement in three years, to be held on May 16, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.

For the first time, Pace will hold a combined ceremony for graduates of its campuses in New York City and Pleasantville and from its Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains. Classes of 2020 and 2021, who were not able to have a traditional celebration due to pandemic-related restrictions, will participate in what will be the largest ceremony in the history of the University.

“This will be the biggest and best commencement in Pace University’s history, and a fitting celebration for three extraordinary classes of Pace graduates,” said Marvin Krislov, president of Pace University. “The classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 completed their degrees despite unprecedented challenges, and I couldn’t be prouder of their resilience, perseverance, and accomplishments.”

Mayor Adams will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, degree at the 10:15 a.m. main Commencement ceremony, and he will address the graduates and their guests. Baroness Ariane de Rothschild '88 MBA '90, will also receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, and later in the day she will address graduates of the Lubin School of Business, from which she graduated, in their afternoon ceremony. Baroness de Rothschild is an accomplished financier, a successful entrepreneur, and a committed philanthropist. She has been president of the board of the Geneva-based Edmond de Rothschild Group since April 2019 and is the first woman to run a Rothschild financial institution.

Congresswoman Grace Meng will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, degree at the afternoon ceremony for the Elisabeth Haub School of Law. Rep. Meng is serving her fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and represents the borough of Queens in the Sixth Congressional District of New York. She is the first and only Asian-American member of Congress from New York State and the first female Congress member from Queens since former Vice Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro.

Opportunitas in Action Award Winners

At Commencement each year Pace honors members of the New York City and Westchester communities who exemplify the Pace motto of Opportunitas.

Marco Damiani, CEO of AHRC NYC, is the 2022 recipient of the Opportunitas in Action Award for New York City. Damiani leads the largest organization in New York—and among the largest in the country—dedicated to supporting people who are neurodiverse and helping them to lead full and equitable lives. Through its work, AHRC spreads its vision of a socially just world, where the power of difference is embraced, valued, and celebrated.

Joseph Kenner, CEO of Greyston, is the 2022 recipient of the Opportunitas in Action Award for Westchester. At Greyston, Kenner leads a pioneering organization that unlocks the power of human potential through Open Hiring—a hiring process that is open to anyone who wants to work, without background checks, resumes, or interviews. Over 40 years at its world-renowned Greyston Bakery—which makes the brownies included in Ben & Jerry’s products and packaged brownies for Whole Foods Market—Kenner’s organization has offered jobs to hundreds of people who otherwise faced obstacles to employment.

About Pace University
Since 1906, Pace University has educated thinking professionals by providing high quality education for the professions on a firm base of liberal learning amid the advantages of the New York metropolitan area. A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lubin School of Business, College of Health Professions, School of Education, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

A first-generation US Citizen, Pamela Guerrero entered law school with a passion for immigration law. Throughout law school, she followed that passion by participating in the Immigration Justice Clinic. Now, a 3L, after the bar exam, Pamela is set to follow her dreams as she was awarded a prestigious Immigrant Justice Corps Fellowship. Learn more about Pamela, her background, her experience with Haub Law’s Immigration Justice Clinic, and more in this Q&A.

Let’s start off with you telling us a bit about your background and how you chose Haub Law.

I am a first-gen US citizen from Dominican parents who originally moved to Washington Heights, Bronx, New York, but then settled in Westchester. My parents are both professionals (administrators in education), but neither of them ever served as lawyers in this country so I am also a first-gen law student. As a child, I had the rare opportunity of attending the first public Montessori School in Yonkers, NY and then went on to double major in Political Science/International Studies and minor in Spanish at Manhattanville College. I graduated from my undergraduate program a semester early and immediately started at Haub Law as a January admit. I came to law school, because I learned of many socioeconomic inequities in the US while attending undergraduate school and wanted to be in an advocacy position to be able to address these issues. I was especially concerned with the immigration system in this country and wanted to become an immigration lawyer to provide newly arrived children and adolescents with the protection they need to thrive in the US. Geographically, Pace was the perfect place for me and I saw it as a place with diverse learning opportunities.

You mentioned, immigration law as an interest of yours, are there any other areas you have developed an interest in?

Yes, International Law and Health Law.

You are now a 3L, thinking back, which experiences at Haub Law have stuck with you?

Participating in the Immigration Justice Clinic. The Clinic has challenged me by making me learn how to do all the practical tasks of lawyering (such as maintaining client files and setting appointments) on top of the usual lawyer tasks related to client representation. It has also made me intellectually engage with other immigration lawyers within NYS and actively question the purpose of many immigration laws. The pandemic may have limited the contact I could have had with clients, but I have still been able to prep clients for hearings and learn how to establish rapport with potential clients. Finally, the clinic has provided me with a community of students that are interested in doing the best pro bono work possible and this has encouraged me to improve myself as a person and as a legal advocate.

Along the same lines, which professors have had an impact on you?

Professor Smita Narula and Professor Vanessa Merton have made an impact on me. Seeing their passion in their work firsthand is inspiring and serves as a continuous reminder that there are lawyers who strive to work toward better for the clients that they serve. Both professors are also very research-oriented, which has taught me that being a lawyer can also mean being a student for life and that is a good thing.

Which student organizations are you involved in on campus?

I am an E-Board member for the NLG – Pace Chapter. I am also president of the International Law Society. My participation in campus activities has allowed me to engage with many members of the Haub Law community and contribute to the excellent camaraderie that was already there. Just because we are in law school, studying and working hard a lot, doesn't mean we can't have exciting events that create great memories.

What does justice mean to you?

To me justice means that everyone is provided with the resources they need to thrive in their country and that no one person or group of people is left behind. We normally touch on equality when discussing justice, but what is really needed is equity because not everyone has the same socioeconomic needs. Instead of striving to make everyone equal we must simply do better and allow every difference to be accounted for in any conversation related to societal improvement. Thus to me justice is essentially equity and encouraging support for people/groups that have been traditionally disenfranchised and marginalized.

To me justice means that everyone is provided with the resources they need to thrive in their country and that no one person or group of people is left behind.

What are some of your hobbies outside of law school?

I enjoy hiking on local trails and doing some urban exploring in NYC. The harder the trail is the better it tends to be (Bear Mountain is one of my favorites for hiking due to distance and challenge). As for urban exploration, I keep all the places in NYC that I hear about saved on my google maps and then take a day to visit all the doable places. I tend to find a lot of rare food places like an ice cream place that does ice cream towers in a jar or unique hobby places. I also tend to frequent The Strand, a very large bookstore in lower NYC. I also enjoy traveling outside of New York and have been to Chile, Switzerland, France, Canada, and other far-flung places.

What are your plans after law school?

I was awarded an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellowship and received a post-graduation immigration law placement with The Advocates for Human Rights in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before I leave, I plan to study for and take the NY Bar exam and perhaps hike the Catskills one last time.

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The Pace Law Advocacy Program held its 2^nd biennial Gavel Gala on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at Surf Club on the Sound, a picturesque venue in New Rochelle, NY. More than 200 students, coaches, alumni and friends attended the elegant affair and enjoyed the chance to reconnect in person while celebrating the program’s past, present, and recent successes. In addition to a series of awards and top placements in national advocacy competitions throughout the year, the program was recently ranked 26^th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, taking its place once again among the top 15% of advocacy programs in the country.

“This year’s Gavel Gala exceeded our expectation in attendance and fundraising,” said Professor Louis V. Fasulo, Director of Advocacy Programs. “It’s truly a great Pace community event which illuminates the best of our program and raises significant funds for us to continue to provide opportunities to students as we develop their advocacy skills. My pride in our Program is clearly shared by so many and that is so rewarding.”

Making up for lost time, the Gavel Gala honored many distinguished alumni, coaches, faculty and students who have contributed to the program’s success over the past two years. Alumni who have made an impact in their fields and the Pace Law Advocacy Program were honored with Rising Stars Awards in the Public and Government Sector as well as the Private Sector. Outstanding alumni coaches were honored with the Loretta Musial Service Award. The Alex Gastman Coach’s Award, created in memory of Alumnus Alexander Gastman ’11, was presented to several Haub Law faculty and coaches who supported students in their success. Several 3L students received awards for their leadership and excellence in advocacy.

Special recognition was also given to Alumnus Judge Delores Brathwaite who received the Unsung Hero Award and to Antonio Soares, former Educational Media Manager at the Law School, who played an invaluable role in helping the Pace Law Advocacy team transition to competing and hosting virtual events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 Gavel Gala was a success in raising vital funds to support the Pace Advocacy Program thanks to sponsors Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP and Fasulo, Braverman & DiMaggio, LLP as well as the program's Fundraising and Alumni Relations Directors Alanna Mecca and Dounea Elbroji, and other student leaders, who showed their skills in organizing a fun and successful evening. Proceeds from ticket sales, sponsorships, a silent auction, wine pull and other fundraising efforts will help to cover competition fees, travel and expenses for the law school’s student team to compete both nationally and internationally in the coming year.

2022 Honorees

Unsung Hero Award

• Judge Delores Brathwaite

Special Recognition

• Antonio Soares

The Loretta Musial Service Award

• Jared J. Hatcliffe, Esq.
• Jordan Montoya, Esq.

Public & Government Sector Rising Stars

• Vittoria Fiorenza, Esq.
• Brad Gorson, Esq.
• Aharon Diaz, Esq.
• Catherine Gonzalez, Esq.
• MAJ. Matthew A. Pellegrine, Esq.
• Danielle Reddan, Esq.

Private Sector Rising Stars

• John Astarita, Esq.
• Jonathan Engel, Esq.
• Kristin Carroll, Esq.
• Kenneth Calvey, Esq.
• Cassidy Crough, Esq.
• Arthur J. Muller III, Esq.

The Alex Gastman Coach's Award

• Jennifer Arlin, Esq.
• Betty Lawrence Lewis, Esq.
• Linda Maria Wayner, Esq.
• Arthur J. Muller III, Esq.
• Pernell Telfort, Esq.

Michelle Simon Leadership Award

• Mattison Stewart (3L)

Keith Sullivan Award For Excellence In Advocacy

• Regina Rubino (3L)
• Angelo Spedafino (3L)
• Kye Shah (3L)
• Michaela Petersen (3L)
• Mattison Stewart (3L)

View photos from the 2022 Gavel Gala