On May 16, 2017, Associate Clinical Professor Violeta Chapin and Associate Professor Ming Chen received this year鈥檚 Clifford Calhoun Public Service Award for their work with immigrants and the University of Colorado Boulder鈥檚 international community in the wake of President Trump鈥檚 three immigration-oriented executive orders.
鈥淚n a time of uncertainty, legal upheaval, and fear, both Ming and Violeta have worked with the university administration to educate not only our international students, but also our scholars, on the ramifications of the orders, setting an excellent example of how one鈥檚 work can fulfill organically the chancellor鈥檚 strategic imperatives to shape tomorrow鈥檚 leaders and positively impact humanity,鈥� said Dean S. James Anaya. 鈥淢ing and Violeta advocate for immigrants in different ways and they each build upon their unique talents and backgrounds to serve communities in need of a voice.鈥�
Chapin leads the Criminal and Immigration Defense Clinic, where she draws on her considerable practice experience as a public defender both to teach clinical students and to represent defendants and immigrants.
鈥淚n a time of uncertainty, legal upheaval, and fear, both Ming and Violeta have worked with the university administration to educate not only our international students, but also our scholars, on the ramifications of the orders, setting an excellent example of how one鈥檚 work can fulfill organically the chancellor鈥檚 strategic imperatives to shape tomorrow鈥檚 leaders and positively impact humanity." - Dean Anaya
One instance that illustrates Chapin鈥檚 dedication to serving the public occurred after the presidential administration announced its immigration executive orders on a weekend in late January. Along with Legal Writing Professor Megan Hall (鈥�05), Assistant Clinical Professor Blake Reid (鈥�10), and other lawyers, , assisting visa holders who suddenly found themselves in a bureaucratic maze.聽She then pivoted the focus of her clinic to representing members of the university community who feared the immigration orders might prohibit them from re-entering the country.
鈥淰ioleta鈥檚 responsiveness and commitment to service are both a beacon for those in need and a reminder to all of us of that our chosen profession need not be, in fact must not be, relegated to the ivory tower, but remains crucial to the greater global community and鈥攑erhaps more poignantly鈥攃ountless individuals, as we navigate our new future,鈥� Anaya said.
January鈥檚 executive orders also threw a sudden spotlight on Chen鈥檚 highly respected work on executive action in the field of immigration.聽In the intervening months, she has brought forward and drawn upon her nationally recognized scholarship in the areas of immigration and citizenship to inform both university administration and CU鈥檚 community of international students and scholars.
鈥淢ing entered the fray and chose to devote herself to informing the international community about their rights, soothing fears without blurring the reality of possible dangers,鈥� Anaya said.聽鈥淗er steadfast commitment to sharing her expert knowledge provided calm within the storm, allowing individuals to find purchase and begin to chart a new path.聽 She did this on top of continuing to teach and write, demonstrating that scholarship can, as it must, both teach and serve.聽鈥�
Through their scholarship, research, and activism, Chapin and Chen have demonstrated how the work of Colorado Law faculty can be scholarly, enlightening, deeply engaged with the community, and of service to communities in hours of urgency and need.
The Clifford Calhoun Public Service Award, established in 1998 by an anonymous donor, is given annually to a faculty or staff member who contributes to the public service of the law school in the spirit and tradition of the contributions made by Professor Emeritus Clifford Calhoun during his 29-year law school career.
Pictured: Chen, who accepted the award on behalf of herself and Chapin, and Anaya.