15 graduate from pre-law program

“No more bad jokes [about lawyers] coming from my mouth,” said Saipan Rotary Club president James N. Whitt, soon after graduating with 14 others from the Summer Pre-law Program 2005 at the Guma Hustitia in Susupe.

Whitt said that, after attending the summer program, he has now a higher respect for lawyers. The Rotary president was the last one to be given a 15-second speech about what they could say about the summer program.

The summer program was held from June 27 to July 15 and held its graduation ceremony yesterday at the Guma Hustisia. Before the graduation ceremony, the 15 graduates went through a final test—a moot court from 8:30am to 11am—during which the participants conducted a mock appellate arguments, with one acting as an attorney for the appellant and the other as the attorney for the appellee.

The presentation of certificates followed after a brief break. Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan led the graduation ceremony, together with Associate Justices John A. Manglona and Alexandro Castro.

Professors Robert J. Desiderio and Frederick M. Hart were also given time to speak on the success of the summer program. Hart said they were fortunate this year to be given an excellent group of individuals who showed intense interest in pursuing law school.

Terrence Thornburg, a Seattle University graduate and a teacher at Kagman High School, said his interest in pursuing a law degree intensified after taking the pre-law program sessions. He is heading to law school next school year.

Saipan Tribune’s John Ravelo, a graduate of De La Salle University in the Philippines, said he has always wanted to be a lawyer. Though fate led him to the field of journalism, he still wants to pursue this dream.

Other graduates of the summer pre-law program were: Georgetown University graduate Merced Aldan Ada, University of California-Berkeley graduate Allen Perez, Creighton University graduate Michael T. Demapan, Chicago State University’s Leo Goode Jr., National University graduate Gordon B. Salas, Seoul’s Chongshin University graduate Ryan Kim, University of Hawaii graduate Anthony Taylor, Marquette University graduate Dean A. Manglona, University of Hawaii graduate Edward V. Manibusan, Chaminade University graduate Gabriel C. White, Marquette University graduate Velma Ann M. Palacios, and University of Guam graduate Leokadya M. Peter.

The Commonwealth Supreme Court, Commonwealth Superior Court, Northern Marianas Judiciary Historical Society, NMI Bar Association, Northern Marianas College and NMI Council for the Humanities sponsored this year’s summer pre-law program.