Established in 2012 to advance the Law School’s mission to diversify the legal profession, the Luis Sanjurjo Scholarship is CUNY Law’s first endowed scholarship. Awarded to students who attended an undergraduate CUNY institution, the Scholarship honors the legacy of the esteemed Professor Sanjurjo.
A civil rights leader and attorney in the South, an altruistic soul, and a professor at the then newly-established Medgar Evers College, Sanjurjo was a champion for CUNY students. This scholarship is made possible through an endowed fund established by Thomas and Hon. Bryanne Hamill ’90.
Thomas Hamill is a former student of Professor Sanjurjo at Medgar Evers College. The Honorable Bryanne Hamill is a 1990 graduate of CUNY Law who went on to serve 10 years as a Family Court Judge in Kings County. Hon. Hamill is the Chair of the New York State Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights, and a legal specialist for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.
She recently returned from Kenya working on criminal and juvenile justice reforms as an ABA legal specialist and mentor to Kenyan justice sector professionals. She will serve as a Racial Justice Project Distinguished Fellow at New York Law School this coming academic year. She served on the CUNY Law Foundation Board of Directors for eight years. Together the Hamills have created a legacy in memory of a remarkable man.
You can read Thomas Hamill’s tribute to Luis here.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients, each of whom will join CUNY Law this fall as part of the incoming class. Below, the Luis Sanjurjo Memorial Scholarship recipients share what brings them to CUNY Law.
Auset Alexander
Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
she/her/hers
Auset Alexander is humbled to be a 2022-2023 recipient of the Luis Sanjurjo Scholarship as she is committed to pursuing a career in public interest and civil rights law.
Prior to law school, Auset worked as a Legal Assistant within the Impact Litigation Practice at The Bronx Defenders, where she assisted attorneys in developing and leading civil rights and class action lawsuits to reform the systemic and structural inequities affecting low-income individuals in the Bronx.
As a Native New Yorker and woman of color, Auset aims to continue her involvement in supporting racial, social, immigration, and economic justice for her community as a lawyer.
Auset has attended CUNY institutions for both undergraduate and graduate school and is excited to join the CUNY School of Law community. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in French Language & Culture from Hunter College in 2016 and was recently elected to serve on their Board of Alumni.
In 2019, Auset received her M.A. in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While earning her graduate degree, Auset was selected for the Pinkerton Graduate Community Fellowship—a competitive field placement dedicated to supporting youth who have been ensnared the criminal legal system.
As a fellow, Auset completed a 15-month internship at The Bronx Defenders, where she worked within the Adolescent Defense Project before transitioning into the Impact Litigation Practice.
Serena Astudillo
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
she/her/hers
Serena Astudillo is a first-generation college graduate and the first to attend law school in her family. She is extremely passionate about advocating for those who aren’t able to advocate for themselves due to the lack of access to education and awareness on certain topics.
Growing up in New York City, Serena was constantly surrounded by people and groups marginalized by society. Seeing the unfairness they experienced regularly motivated her to study law so she can support both her own and others’ communities.
Serena is proud to be a Colombian and Puerto Rican woman, through learning to navigate the city as a woman has been complex. She regularly has to monitor her surroundings in consideration of ongoing violence against women.
Serena and her family have dealt firsthand with prejudice and violence. The legal field is a male-dominated industry, so as a woman, the odds are already stacked against her, and as a Latina, even more so. These statistics do not deter her — rather, they inspire her to propel herself forward. There are many policies that need reform in our justice system, and they must include people with the same backgrounds as the ones they affect.
Serena is proud to be a woman but knows being a woman comes with disadvantages in our society. As a Colombian and Puerto Rican woman, Serena and her family have dealt firsthand with prejudice and violence.
The legal field is a male-dominated industry, so as a woman, the odds are already stacked against her, and as a Latina, even more so. These statistics do not deter her — rather, they inspire her to propel herself forward. There are many policies that need reform in our justice system, and they must include people with the same backgrounds as the ones they affect.
Becoming a lawyer would help her enact change, starting at the individual level. Serena’s areas of interest include crimes against women, exploring social justice, and immigration reform, as they aid in helping marginalized groups she relates to and help her advocate for those who are not fairly heard and represented.
In 2022 she graduated from John Jay College with a B.A. in political science and government.
Rukaya Hamza
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
She/her/hers
Rukaya was born in Kumasi, Ghana and moved to New York at a very young age.
During her early years, she was raised by her grandmother who taught her and her siblings aspects of their culture.
Rukaya credits those cultural values as an important part of shaping who she is today.
Growing up in a society that silenced victims of sexual assault, Rukaya soon developed an interest in speaking up for others.
Both this experience and her experience as a member of her college’s Model UN club solidified her attendance at a public interest law school.
She hopes to use her education at CUNY Law to advocate for individuals who have been ostracized for being survivors.
Rukaya received her A.A. in criminal justice from Borough of Manhattan Community College and her B.S. in criminal justice from John Jay College.
Ammara Khan
The City College of New York
she/her/hers
Ammara was only an adolescent when her school was the primary target of a mass gun shooting. Since that day, she’s aimed for a meaningful career that made the world a safer place.
Ammara believes every human being deserves to feel safe when they step out of their homes, regardless of the color of their skin, ethnicity, or religion.
When she was accepted to CUNY Law, she immediately said yes, as she believes there is no greater good than an individual that dedicates their life to their communities and in the interest of the public.
The very thought of being able to help those who need it puts a smile on her face. It is the reason why she wanted to study law and why she intends on dedicating her career in law to serving human needs.
Ammara Khan was a Skadden, Arps scholar at the Skadden, Arps Honors Program in Legal Studies at the City College of New York, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
Albi Miraka
The City College of New York
He/him/his
Albi wants to use his legal education and career to serve communities in need of assistance, and to address the downfalls of the legal system.
His upbringing, coupled with his educational career, gave him the desire to discover and fine-tune legal tools needed to successfully represent those in need in the judicial system.
Albi is both excited and determined to serve the people, the communities, and more largely, our society.
Albi completed his bachelor’s degree in 2021 at City College.