The Public Interest Experience (PIE) Prize helps students at Drexel Kline School of Law pursue summer work aligned with their interest in public service, even when those positions are unpaid or underpaid. By providing stipends to help offset expenses during summer placements, the program reduces financial pressure that might otherwise limit available opportunities.

For recipients, a PIE Prize-supported summer is a chance to take on real responsibility early. Awardees contribute to legal research, policy analysis, client preparation and advocacy across a range of settings, seeing firsthand what public interest work requires.

“The core purpose and value of public interest work is to act for the greater good. The PIE Prize helps students fulfill this mission and advocate for those underrepresented and underserved members of our community,” said Rashida T. West, Director for Pro Bono and Public Interest Programs.

Public interest organizations serve people and communities facing urgent legal needs, often with limited resources. Student interns play a meaningful role in that work. The PIE Prize helps ensure students can devote their time and attention to these placements while gaining experience that shapes how they approach their legal education and future work.

What Pie Prize Students Accomplished Last Summer

The 2025 awardees reflect the range of legal work supported through the PIE Prize, spanning policy research, litigation support and direct client representation across public interest settings.

• Alastornia “Toni” Swift, JD ’27, spent her summer at the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University Beasley School of Law, conducting multi-jurisdictional research on paid sick leave laws and city-level health regulations. She also authored a blog post examining how paid sick leave policies intersect with access to substance use disorder treatment. “The research pushed me to think about how the law operates at a systems level,” Swift said. “It showed how policy decisions can shape access to care long before anyone enters a courtroom.”
• Rida Memon, JD ’27, worked in the Consumer Housing Unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, where her role focused on legal research tied to broader advocacy efforts and potential litigation strategies. Her work involved distilling complex legal frameworks into materials that attorneys and advocates could use in active matters. “The research I worked on helped shape conversations about potential next steps,” Memon said. “It underscored how much advocacy depends on careful, behind-the-scenes legal work.”
• Gail Hutchings, JD ’26, interned at the Bucks County Public Defender’s Office, combining courtroom exposure with legal research and motion practice in a fast-paced environment. Her work supported attorneys handling matters with immediate consequences for clients. “I learned how much preparation goes into decisions that directly affect people’s lives,” Hutchings said. “It made clear how much responsibility comes with public defense work.”
• Tavia Gabrysch, JD ’27, completed a summer placement at Mazzoni Center, working on LGBTQ legal services, including name-change matters and other client cases. She managed a steady caseload while assisting clients through sensitive and time-critical legal processes. “Helping clients navigate legal steps that affect their daily lives made the work feel very real,” Gabrysch said. “It showed me how direct this kind of advocacy is.”
• Kayla Alznauer, JD ’27, worked with Philadelphia Legal Assistance’s Unemployment Compensation Unit, representing clients in hearings, handling cases from intake through resolution and drafting appellate briefs for review. Her work required explaining complex processes clearly while advocating for clients navigating financial uncertainty. “I was trusted to advocate for clients in real proceedings,” Alznauer said. “That level of responsibility confirmed how meaningful this work can be.”
• Janat Zafar, JD ’27, spent the summer at the Nationalities Service Center, working on immigration defense matters, including a detained asylum case that continued beyond the summer. Her responsibilities included client communication, evidence gathering, and legal preparation. “Being involved in a case from start to finish showed me how much sustained advocacy matters,” Zafar said. “Especially when the stakes are high.”
• Amna Mansha, JD ’27, worked during the summer at Esperanza Immigration Legal Services, where she handled citizenship applications, asylum cases, client interviews, declarations and legal research. Her work involved close client interaction and careful preparation in high-stakes matters. “Working directly with clients highlighted how personal this work is,” Mansha said. “It reinforced the care and precision these types of cases require.”
• Ashton Sirgey, JD ’26, interned with Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) in Delaware. During his internship, Ashton worked in the Disability Rights unit and the Fair Housing unit, where he helped clients obtain shelter, government benefits and other civil legal remedies.

Apply for the 2026 PIE Prize

All Drexel Kline students seeking summer public interest employment are encouraged to apply, including students who received a PIE Prize in 2025.

• Application Deadline: Monday, March 23, 2026, by 12 p.m.
• Interviews: From Monday, April 6, to Friday, April 10, 2026.
• Recipient Announcement: Monday, April 20, 2026.

Applicants are interviewed by the PIE Prize Selection Committee, which considers placements, student goals and overall fit with the program.

Download the Application

Support the Next Cohort

PIE Auction: Party with a Purpose

Each year, the Drexel Kline Law community gathers for the PIE Auction, which funds stipends for students taking unpaid public interest internships during the summer.

This support helps ensure aspiring public interest lawyers can gain critical hands-on experience without financial strain. The auction is more than a fundraiser—it is a commitment to sustaining a pipeline of dedicated advocates who serve our communities.

Through this collective effort, faculty, alumni, students and supporters celebrate and invest in the next generation of public interest attorneys.

The 2026 PIE Auction will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at the Kline Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Purchase Tickets

Photos by Ray Bailey

Make a Gift

Please make sure you designate “Public Interest Program/PIE Auction” in your gift.

Donate to PIE