William & Mary Law School Recognizes Exceptional Service With Spring Awards
Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl has been honored with the John Marshall Award. Given annually at the end of spring semester, the award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated “character, leadership and a spirit of selfless service to the Law School community.”
Professor Bruhl is the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and Rita Anne Rollins Professor of Law. He joined the Law School in 2015 and teaches and writes on statutory interpretation, federal courts and the legislative process for many of the nation’s leading law journals.
Professor Bruhl was elected to the American Law Institute in 2014 and has offered expert commentary for television, radio, magazines, and national wire services. He was a recipient of the Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence in 2017 and was honored by the graduating class of 2020 with the Walter L. Williams, Jr., Memorial Teaching Award, given each year by graduating students to a member of the faculty to recognize outstanding teaching.
Students have described Professor Bruhl in the classroom as “one of the best.” They also note that he is “funny, insanely knowledgeable, and extremely clear.” Just as important, “he is empathetic to the needs of students and never makes a student feel like they're falling behind; instead, he helps bring struggling students along subtly and with understanding. Outside of class, Professor Bruhl is very giving with his time.”
“As someone who always has the best interests of our faculty and students in mind, Aaron is a touchstone for our success as a law school,” said Dean A. Benjamin Spencer. “The John Marshall Award is a well-deserved honor.”
The award is named for John Marshall (1755-1835), who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States. Marshall was among the first students to study law under the tutelage of George Wythe at William & Mary.
Donna Shelton is the recipient of the 2022 Chris Creech Award, given annually to a deserving member of the Law School staff in recognition of outstanding service and commitment to the Law School. The award is named in honor of former Associate Registrar Chris Creech, who died in 2015.
Shelton is the Law School’s registrar, now approaching her seventh year of service. She manages student academic records, schedule of classes, registration, degree audit and conferral.
In presenting the Creech Award, Dean Spencer praised Shelton’s comprehensive efforts on behalf of students.
“If students have holds on their accounts and need help registering, they talk to Donna; if students are waitlisted and they want to get into classes, they work with Donna,” Spencer said. “If students need permission to take an overlapping course or to transfer course credit, they talk to Donna; and if they have questions about concentration requirements, they talk to Donna.”
Spencer also praised Shelton for tirelessly making sure students are able to submit paperwork for the bar exam. “She consistently puts the students and her colleagues first, and I know how much she is appreciated. That work is not always predictable, and sometimes it requires work outside traditional working hours,” Spencer said.
Laura Shepherd, Associate Dean for Student and Academic Services/Chief Equity Officer, praised Shelton for automating many processes in the Registrar’s Office and for keeping everything running on schedule.
“There’s a lot that happens in our office 12 months a year, and Donna keeps us marching,” Shepherd said. “Donna keeps a calendar for every month, and in our weekly meetings she puts it out and says, ‘It’s June, this is what we’re doing.’ So she really makes sure that things happen the way they should.”
About William & Mary Law School
Thomas Jefferson founded William & Mary Law School in 1779 to train leaders for the new nation. Now in its third century, America’s first law school continues its historic mission of educating citizen lawyers who are prepared both to lead and to serve.