The Arab American Bar Association of Ohio (AABAR-Ohio) serves to amplify the Arab American attorney’s voice through community service, mentorship, and social and legal engagement to tackle important societal and legal issues in conjunction with the Ohio legal community. First-year Case Western Reserve University School of Law student Emily Ghazoul was a recent recipient of the inaugural AABAR-OHIO Law Student Scholarship.
“Being a member of this organization allows me to expand my network of like-minded legal professionals working not only in Ohio, but throughout the nation,” remarked Ghazoul. “I look forward to the mentorship available to me through this association so that I can further represent and advocate for professional and societal issues central to Arab culture in America such as religious freedom, immigration reform, and ethnic justice. AABAR will also allow me to engage in vital community service initiatives while sharing the beauty of Arab culture in America.”
Ghazoul’s application highlighted volunteer work with Catholic Charities’ Migration and Refugee Services Department, where she assisted victims of torture in their applications for US citizenship and visas. The experience demonstrated a practical way to give back as a law student.
Ghazoul commends the openness, teaching style and expertise of her professors at Case Western Reserve, including Liam Dunn, Juliet Kostritsky, and Michael Scharf. “The school's warmth and continual support have fostered an environment that makes me look forward to my next 2 years as a student.”
The scholarship was formally awarded at AABAR-OHIO's First Annual Gala on March 3, where Ghazoul was able to network with other members of AABAR-Ohio and enjoy Dabke dancing.
“The AABAR-Ohio scholarship contributes to my long-term goals of working on international economic, developmental, and human rights initiatives, while sharing and advocating for Arab-American culture,” Ghazoul remarks. “Although there are many ways for me to advocate for change, I believe that law school, accompanied and supported by a network of like- minded legal professionals through AABAR, will provide me with the necessary training, mentorship, and experiences to have a positive impact on unification efforts in a domestic and international setting.”