PHOTO 1: Samira Montlouis (left) was presented the Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award during WMU-Cooley’s Honors Convocation on March 9. Pictured with Montlouis is her son Jalen Montlouis; PHOTO 2: During WMU-Cooley’s March 9 Honors Convocation, Miguel Cardenas was presented with the Leadership Achievement Award, which acknowledges those students who have consistently, comprehensively, and effectively provided leadership in a variety of capacities.
(Photos courtesy of WMU-Cooley)
On March 9, Western Michigan Univesity Cooley Law School’s Lansing campus held a convocation honoring students who will be graduating following the law school’s winter term.
Miguel Cardenas was presented with the Leadership Achievement Award, which acknowledges those students who have consistently, comprehensively, and effectively provided leadership in a variety of capacities. The award is intended to be the culmination of the recipients’ participation in leadership activities at WMU-Cooley.
Originally from Harrison Township, Cardenas earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. While at WMU-Cooley he was a member of Student Bar Association where he served as a senator and as academic chair. Cardenas served as treasurer of the Health Law Society and participated in Moot Court, Cooley’s Volunteer Corps, and as a member of the Organization of Women Law Students.
During the convocation, the Alumni Association Distinguished Student Award was presented to Samira Montlouis. The award is given to selected graduating students based on academic accomplishment, professionalism, and ethics, demonstrated leadership at WMU-Cooley, meaningful extracurricular activities, and post-graduation plans. The recipients are selected by the past presidents and executive committee of the WMU-Cooley Alumni Association. Recipients are presented a diploma frame from the law school.
Montlouis, who was originally from Detroit, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. She served as executive articles editor for the WMU-Cooley Law Review, vice president of Moot Court, and mentorship chair for the Student Bar Association. She was a member of the Organization of Women’s Law Students, the Cooley Volunteer Corps, and Phi Delta Phi International Society. Montlouis was co-founder and vice president of WMU-Cooley’s Scribes-The American Society of Legal Writers chapter.
In addition to the Alumni Distinguished Student Award, Montlouis was presented with the Student Bar Association Distinguished Student Award; and the organization’s Fitzgerald Award, which recognizes a student who has shown a significant commitment towards the improvement of the school’s various organizations; and the Krinock Memorial Award, which recognizes a student who has risen above expectations and proven extreme loyalty to the law and the student body.
