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| Brittany Leonard, recipient of the Valedictorian Award |
Spring Hooding Ceremony, today. Among the 2014 class are a diverse group of graduates who have already begun to make their impact on the world.
Brittany Leonard, an Orlando native, will receive the FAMU
College of Law Valedictorian Award, which is the most prestigious distinction
that an individual can obtain at the law school.
"This is truly exciting and an honor I will cherish
forever," Leonard said. "I am beyond excited to have earned this
accomplishment. I can truly say when you are driven to succeed, with hard work
and dedication, your goals and dreams can become reality."
Leonard participated in William R. Boone High School's Law
Magnet Program where she learned various aspects of the law in an academic
setting, and was able to apply that knowledge in practical settings. She
dedicated hundreds of hours to the juvenile and state court systems in the
Central Florida area while a program participant. She went on to graduate summa
cum laude from the University of Central Florida (UCF) with a B.S. degree in
business management.
Leonard remained in Orlando to attend law school and became senior lead editor of the FAMU Law Review, vice president of the Women's Law Caucus and student member of the George C. Young First Central Florida American Inn of Court. She also maintained in active presence in the community by serving as a volunteer with Boys Town of Central Florida, the City of Orlando and Thomas S. Kirk Juvenile Justice Center.
Alexandra “Ali” Kalman, who graduated cum laude in the Fall
2013 semester, will join the more than 140 FAMU College of Law graduates for
the 10th Annual Hooding Ceremony.
Kalman represents a significant milestone for the FAMU
College of Law. She was one of the highest scorers on the Florida Bar Exam,
marking the second consecutive year a FAMU College of Law alumnus brought home
one of the exam’s top scores.
"When I found out that I received one of the highest
scores on the Florida Bar Exam I could not believe it," said Kalman, a St.
Petersburg, Fla. transplant originally from Boston, Mass. "This has taught
me that anything is possible with hard work and dedication."
Kalman received both her B.A. degree in legal studies and
B.S. degree in psychology from UCF. She worked two years in a law firm before
deciding to attend law school, based on a desire to help others in need and
ensure that everyone has equal access to the court system. She is a recipient
of the Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association Book Award, and has
additional book awards in bankruptcy and debtor-creditor rights; Florida Bar
law and skills; multistate bar law and skills; remedies; and wills, estates and
trusts. Book awards are presented to students with the highest grade in a
course.
Lastly, the FAMU College of Law will break a record when it
bestows the juris doctor on its youngest graduate, Cynthia Ramkellawan, at the
ripe age of 21.
Ramkellawan, who attended high school in Osceola County,
accomplished the remarkable feat of enrolling in law school at the age of 19.
She will receive the doctoral gown as a graduate at the top of her class on
Saturday and plans to become a judicial law clerk, return to law school to
pursue her LL.M. degree, and eventually become a professor of law.
"My parents built their entire lives in America from
scratch and instilled in my sister and I, notions of hard work,” said
Ramkellawan, whose parents emigrated from Guyana. "Through their own work
ethic and the fact that they built their entire lives here without assistance
from anyone or anything, I learned to always push myself."
Ramkellawan graduated from UCF summa cum laude with a B.A.
in pre-law. She only needed one year to complete the program as a result of
taking numerous college credit courses while attending Osceola High School. She
is a recipient of the Outstanding Law Student Rattler Pride Award, based on her
selfless volunteerism while excelling academically in the classroom.
Ramkellawan partners with the Professional Opportunities Program for Students,
Inc. (POPS) program to head an ACT/SAT Prep Course that is free of charge for
interested students. She also mentors young ladies in the foster care system.
The 2014 FAMU College of Law class is another example of the
great things happening every day at FAMU.