When Paul Caiola ’95 attended the Maryland Carey Law annual Scholarship Luncheon in February 2024, he was deeply moved by the student speaker’s remarks. Andres Castillo ’24, the inaugural Class of 1968 Scholar, told the story of how a scholarship opened doors of opportunity and enriched his legal education.
Making the most of his law school experience, Castillo was president of the Business Law Society, managing editor of the Journal of Business and Technology Law, a competing member of the transactional law team, and a student attorney in the Mediation Clinic. He also spent a semester as a judicial extern for Judge Matthew J. Maddox at the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
“All anyone needs in life is an opportunity,” Castillo told the donors and scholarship recipients attending the event in Westminster Hall. Castillo also recounted how the Class of 1968 Scholarship was established through an inspirational challenge that alum Henry Hopkins ’68, former T. Rowe Price vice president and chief legal counsel, extended at his 50th reunion. Help fund a new scholarship, Hopkins had announced to the assemblage, and he would personally match each individual gift.
More than 20 of Hopkins’s classmates stepped up, and now the Class of 1968 is united in fellowship and purpose as they actively make law school more accessible for deserving students.
A few months after speaking at the luncheon, Castillo received the William P. Cunningham Award for exceptional achievements and service to the school at graduation before starting his position as a judicial law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
“Andres demonstrated how a scholarship can transform a person’s life,” says Caiola, a partner at Gallagher Evelius & Jones. “His story made us want to provide similar opportunities courtesy of the great Class of 1995.”
Caiola, a member of the Maryland Carey Law Board of Visitors since 2015, shared his inspiration with classmates and fellow board members David Lynn ’95, a partner in Goodwin’s Capital Markets Group; Alex Rene ’95, a partner in Ropes & Gray’s Litigation and Enforcement Practice Group; and managing director at Secretariat, Tamika Tremaglio ’95, who also happens to be the Board of Visitors chair. Together, the four philanthropic leaders fleshed out the idea and turned the notion into reality.
Caiola, Lynn, Rene, and Tremaglio determined the scholarship would emphasize excellence in servant leadership. In recognition of Maryland Carey Law’s role as the state of Maryland’s flagship law school, they also decided preference would be given to students who live or have lived in Maryland and/or demonstrate financial need.
“Maryland Carey Law is essential in training our state’s next generation of legal leaders,” says Lynn. “We wanted the Class of 1995 Scholarship to reflect this great privilege and responsibility.”
With the details hammered out and generous lead gifts in place, Caiola, Lynn, Rene, and Tremaglio presented the opportunity to fund the endowment to classmates at their 30th reunion in April, just as Hopkins had done at his 50th.
“Several of our classmates jumped at the chance to help establish our own Class of 1995 Scholarship,” says Tremaglio. “Their enthusiasm is a testament to the strength and dedication to student success of our incredible Maryland Carey Law community.”
The first Class of 1995 Scholar will be a member of this fall’s incoming class. Just as Castillo did, the recipient will likely attend upcoming Scholarship Luncheons. And who knows? Maybe that scholar’s story will be the inspiration for the next class scholarship.
To learn how you can support the Class of 1995 Scholarship, or other scholarships at Maryland Carey Law, please contact the Development Team at alumni@law.umaryland.edu.