Graduating students receive prestigious awards at 2024 Commencement

Alysa Ambrose, L’24, a Navy veteran captain who was commanding officer of the warship USS Gravely and the Navy’s first female commander of the warship as well as a mother of three, received the John J. Sciullo Peer Excellency Award, named in honor of the late John Sciullo, who served as the eighth dean of Duquesne Kline School of Law, from 1982 to 1993. This award is voted on by the class, and is given to a graduating student who is worthy of the admiration and respect of their fellow classmates. 

“It was such an honor to receive a student-nominated, student-voted on award. It means my classmates recognized how hard I worked to get to and continue with law school, and the contributions I made to the classroom while I was there. I’d like to think my unique perspective as a non-traditional student brought something to the day program that they might not have otherwise been exposed to,” said Ambrose. 

Ambrose has been accepted to clerk for Judge Joy Conti Flowers in Federal District Court for two years, beginning in September.

Olivia Giles, L’24, received the Dr. John and Liz Murray Award for Excellence in Student Scholarship. This award is named in honor of Duquesne’s eleventh president, Dr. John Murray, and his wife, Liz. Giles received the award for authoring the most outstanding published law review article of anyone in the graduating class. 

At Duquesne Kline School of Law, Giles was the Executive Editor of the Duquesne Law Review, President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and Vice President of the Women's Law Association. She graduated Cum Laude, won Best Brief in her first year and Outstanding Oral Argument in her first year. She also won several CALI awards for having the highest grade in some of her classes. 

“Receiving the Dr. John and Liz Murray Award for Excellence in Student Scholarship is a great honor. The opportunity to explore issues surrounding copyright law in the sports industry was a highlight of my time at Duquesne Kline and has strengthened my passion for learning as I begin my career. I am grateful to all my professors who guided me throughout the research and writing process and to all the Duquesne Kline faculty and staff for their continued support and dedication to the students,” Giles said.

After taking the bar exam, Giles will join Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote as an Associate.

Kearsten Garbenis, L’24, and Jennifer Murray, L’24, received the President Ken & Laura Gormley Distinguished Student Award was given on behalf of the entire law school faculty. This special award is given to two graduating students who, in the judgment of the faculty, have displayed general scholastic excellence and who have performed meritorious service to the law school. The award is named by the university’s board of directors in recognition of Ken Gormley—long-serving faculty member, constitutional scholar, dean of the law school, and president of the university. 

“Receiving the President Ken and Laura Gormley Distinguished Student Award for the evening division of the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University Class of 2024 is a tremendous honor.  My four years as an evening student at the Duquesne Kline School of Law will be a time that I will forever cherish.  I attribute my overwhelmingly positive experience to the phenomenal faculty who prepare each student to make an immediate impact in the field of law.  Being selected for this honor by the esteemed Duquesne Kline School of Law faculty is an accolade that I sincerely appreciate,” said Garbenis. 

While at Duquesne Kline School of Law, Garbenis was an evening division SBA Senator all four years and worked at CohnReznick as a Senior Consultant in the Government Advisory Group during the day. In addition to receiving CALI awards, she also earned the Best Brief and Outstanding Oral Argument designations for Legal Research & Writing II.  

In October, Garbenis will join Jones Day in the Pittsburgh office as an Associate in the 2024 New Lawyers Group.  

Murray, who received the award for the day division, said, “I hold the professors and faculty at Duquesne Kline in the highest regard. Over the past three years, every professor has instilled in me the utmost appreciation for the legal field, challenged my thinking, motivated me to excel, and ultimately will shape the type of lawyer I become in my career. Receiving the President Ken & Laura Gormley Distinguished Student Award from the faculty was especially memorable for me precisely because of how much I respect and admire the law school's faculty. It was the perfect conclusion to all the hard work I put into the past three years at Duquesne Kline.”

While at Duquesne Kline School of Law, Murray competed for the Appellate Moot Court Board, had an article published for the Law Review, was one of three inaugural Kline Fellows, and worked as a Teaching Assistant for Professor Milburn-Knizner for her Legal Research and Writing courses. “Another fun activity during my time at Duquesne Kline is that I became a mom,” said Murray. 

She was honored also with the CALI Award for highest grade in Property I, 1L Best Brief, and 1L Outstanding Oral Argument.

Murray’s post-graduation plans include working with McGuireWoods LLP in their corporate department.

Congratulations to these students who are empowered for what is next in their careers!