25th Annual Thomas J. Drinan Memorial Fellowship
The prestigious 25th Annual Thomas J. Drinan Memorial Fellowship was awarded to second-year Suffolk University Law School student Michael D’Angelo at a June 12 reception held at the Law School.
The Drinan Memorial Fellowship was created by friends and colleagues of Thomas J. Drinan, a 1976 graduate of Suffolk Law School and former Assistant United States Attorney within the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston. Drinan died suddenly in 1986 at age 38.
“Each of the 25 fellows selected over the years reflect Tom, what he stood for, and what he meant to all of us,” said Richard Glovsky, chairman of the Drinan Memorial Fellowship Committee and a partner in the law firm of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge. Glovsky and Drinan met when they worked together at the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston.
Summer Employment Opportunity
Glovsky and several of Drinan’s colleagues created the annual fellowship to fund the summer employment of a designated Suffolk University Law School student in the criminal justice field.
“With this fellowship, Tom’s legacy lives on today,” said Judge Marianne B. Bowler, who graduated from the Law School the same year as Drinan and presented this year’s award. “He was a great lawyer who believed in the law and the fair administration of justice. Tom was tough, fair, and compassionate, and he was always committed to public service.”
Devotion to public service
“It is a great pleasure to recognize Michael,” said Bowler. “Like Tom, Michael is serious about the academic pursuit of law. After interviewing him, it was clear that he had a strong presence. It was also clear that he was the candidate to become part of the Drinan legacy.”
“It is an honor to be standing here tonight,” said D’Angelo who has begun his fellowship at the Federal Defender’s Office. “Tom Drinan will always be remembered for his devotion to public service and his integrity and compassion for others. He was truly committed to making his community better. I share that commitment and will work hard to honor his memory. I hope to add to the impressive legacy that I am now a part of.”
Following the presentation, Suffolk University President James McCarthy lauded Glovsky’s efforts.
“Dick has led the committee since its inception in 1988,” he said. “He has graciously taken on the stewardship of Tom’s legacy. He shepherds the fellowship process; he makes this happen.”