Recipient
2023 SABA-SD Scholarship, sponsored by Jones Day
Arif Salam, is a 3rd year student at University of San Diego School of Law who has been routinely involved in SABA-SD and his law school’s Desi Indian Law Student Association (DILSA). Arif is driven to become a litigator to give a voice to those who may not be able to speak or stand up for themselves in unfamiliar situations.
While in law school, Arif has dedicated himself to working in criminal litigation working multiple internships as a certified legal intern with the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office. Arif was also a recipient of the San Diego Bar Association’s Diversity Fellowship Program and is a current member of his school’s Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team (VICAM) and strives to hone his writing and public speaking skills to be the best advocate he can be.
Application
Applications for the 2024 Law Student Scholarship are now being accepted.
Interested Applicants should submit the following materials by Thursday, September 12, 2024:
1. Your resume;
2. Your 1-2 page Personal Statement detailing why you believe you are the most qualified candidate for the scholarship. Your Personal Statement should include your views on one or more of the following topics:
- a. How your involvement in the South Asian community or in SABA-SD has contributed to your academic development;
- b. How you hope to contribute to SABA-SD or the South Asian community after graduation;
- c. What reasons compelled you to pursue a career in the law; or
- d. What you find most interesting, challenging, or fulfilling about your education; AND
3. Academic Records. Either an official transcript or law school registrar’s letter of good standing if an official transcript is unavailable. [New first year law students: because you do not yet have law school grades, please provide an official copy of your undergraduate transcript.]
Selection factors may include but are not limited to: (1) academic standing; (2) past, current or future public service to the South Asian community and other diverse communities; and/or (3) financial need.
APPLICATIONS MAY BE SENT VIA E-MAIL TO: [email protected].
The recipient will be notified of their selection prior to the 2024 Annual Gala and announced during that event. The scholarship recipient and one guest will receive free tickets to the gala.
Past Recipients
2022 – Amandeep Ghuman, received the 2022 SABA-SD scholarship, sponsored by Jones Day. Amandeep, a second-year student at California Western School of Law, became motivated to be a lawyer after seeing her parents struggle to navigate the court system to obtain a legal conservatorship for her autistic brother. Seeing her family’s challenges up close made her want to help those who feel disempowered by the legal system.
In college, Amandeep served as a Justice Corps intern at the Norwalk Superior Court, helping litigants at the self-help desk fill out forms and better understand family law and unlawful detainer proceedings. An exceptional student, Amandeep is currently in the top 9% of her law school class, has held several leadership roles in the South Asian Law Students Association, and has engaged with SABA San Diego members at past events.
2021 – Divya Sriharan received the 2021 SABA-SD Scholarship, sponsored by Jones Day, as a third-year law student at the University of San Diego School of Law. Growing up as an immigrant and a Sri Lankan Tamil woman shaped Divya’s perspectives and career path. Divya grew up in five different countries, including India. Watching her parents deal with immigration issues made her realize the desperate need for advocates for South Asians and communities of color. This message hit home during Divya’s internship at the District Attorney’s Office, where she saw firsthand the need for greater minority representation in the courtroom. During her first year of law school, Divya volunteered at the NAACP Legal Redress Committee to interview victims of racial discrimination. She has volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club as a mentor for commuter students and is the Chair for the Crawford Academy, helping high school students with public speaking and higher education goals. Divya is also the Vice President of the National Lawyers Guild, an organization that seeks to help marginalized people through the law. After law school, Divya is committed to working in public interest law, specifically, with juveniles in the criminal justice system. Congratulations, Divya!
2019 – Sachin Bhatmuley received the 2019 SABA-SD scholarship, sponsored by Jones Day, as a third-year law student at the University of San Diego School of Law. Sachin joined law school after working at Qualcomm, where he pitched, established, and ran a technology incubator in India. He expressed a keen interest in practicing intellectual property law upon graduation to help emerging market innovators protect and monetize their intellectual property. Sachin has traveled extensively throughout Africa, India, and Southeast Asia to help various tech companies. In addition to his law degree, he holds an MBA from San Diego State University, where he graduated at the top of his class, and an MS in electrical engineering from Cleveland State University.