Community - Students - 2025-26 Rodin Fellows
Sharon Kirchner, Elizabeth Martinez, Lindsay Nicholas, and Dede Benissan are the 2025-26 Rodin Fellows.
Student Profile 2025-26 Rodin Fellows
Socially responsible
Meet the 2025-26 Rodin Fellows
The Curt and Linda Rodin Center for Social Justice fellowship program supports students as they develop the skills needed to work with underserved individuals and communities through litigation, legislative and policy reform, and other forms of advocacy. The opportunity to work in a community-based setting helps students learn how to collaborate with members of the community and take a community perspective on legal problems. Meet the 2025-26 Rodin Fellows.
Prior to law school, Lindsay Nicholas worked as a paralegal at Cabrini Green Legal Aid.
Lindsay Nicholas
Hometown: Waxhaw, North Carolina
Why Loyola?
Prior to law school, I worked as a paralegal at Cabrini Green Legal Aid for three years. This was an incredible experience because it exposed me to several areas of the law, including the expungement of criminal records, family/housing law, and criminal defense. CGLA’s amazing attorneys also inspired me to pursue a career in pro bono advocacy. I chose Loyola because of the school’s reputation for producing skilled and dedicated public interest attorneys and because I knew I wanted to be in Chicago. I was particularly drawn to the opportunities provided by the Civitas ChildLaw Center, which influenced my decision to become a ChildLaw Fellow.
Which areas of the law are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about juvenile and family defense—ensuring that children stay out of the criminal legal system and that families remain intact. I am interested in any area of the law that mitigates the harms caused by incarceration, including advocating for prisoner’s rights and providing post-conviction relief.
“My experience at Loyola would have been very different if I hadn’t joined SUFEO as a 1L.”
What experiences led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
I believe Chicago is the greatest city in the world. However, it is also a city with a history of excluding marginalized communities from accessing essential resources. Since moving here in 2016 for college, I have dedicated myself to organizations that advance social justice, particularly in affordable housing and criminal justice policy. As a future attorney, I am committed to using the law to further these causes. I am a Rodin Fellow because I want to build a coalition of peers who share these same goals and to help connect Loyola to the greater Chicago community.
What else would you like to say about your experience at Loyola?
My experience at Loyola would have been very different if I hadn’t joined SUFEO as a 1L. SUFEO is a student-run organization that supports PreK-12 students facing school-related issues. I didn’t realize how much I missed working with actual clients until I had the opportunity to do so again through SUFEO. The Education Lab class allowed me to shadow intakes, review files, conduct research, and observe attorney meetings. This year, I am on the board of SUFEO and am so grateful for the incredible group of student advocates and attorneys I get to work with every week.
“I am amazed by the Rodin Center’s ability to bring together leaders and scholars across a variety of legal fields so that our community can exchange knowledge,” says Elizabeth Martinez.
Elizabeth Martinez
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Why Loyola?
I visited Chicago for the first time in September 2022 to attend the LSAC law school forum. [While taking a tour of another law school], the tour guide … mentioned other local law schools’ commitment to public interest, and, to her, Loyola stood out. The next day I attended the LSAC forum and met with a Loyola representative who told me about the array of public interest opportunities available. I was immediately sold, and Loyola shot up to the top of my list. One of the best decisions I ever made in my life.
What experience led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
Before law school, I worked at an emerging adult justice organization and a civil injury practice. Both experiences taught me that across all areas of the law, vulnerable people are being mistreated or abandoned by institutions/entities who are supposed to handle them with dignity and fairness. Working for these individuals deepened my commitment to a public interest career. The Rodin Fellowship is precisely the program that will help me grow into a socially responsible lawyer who can help repair or even reimagine new justice systems that are rooted in well-informed policy and research.
“The Rodin Fellowship is precisely the program that will help me grow into a socially responsible lawyer.”
What are you most excited about working on as a Rodin Fellow?
I am excited to work on the upcoming symposiums. I am amazed by the Rodin Center’s ability to bring together leaders and scholars across a variety of legal fields so that our community can exchange knowledge. These kinds of events are what spark important conversations that can lead to inspirational solutions to shortcomings in our justice systems. This year’s symposium on housing rights is especially relevant in light of recent Supreme Court decisions.
What else would you like to say about your experience at Loyola?
I feel so grateful for the quality of peers and faculty that are a part of the LUC Law community. At every turn, I come across passionate advocates who take the time to mentor me and encourage me in my pursuit of a legal education.
“For me, law school is a calling to be a different kind of lawyer,” says Dede Benissan.
Dede Benissan
Hometown: Chicago
Why did you want to become a lawyer?
As far as I can remember, I have always abhorred social injustice, public corruption, human rights violations, and anything that oppresses the most vulnerable. For me, law school is a calling to be a different kind of lawyer, one who defends and educates but also dares to speak up when a law is fundamentally unjust.
Additionally, as a Christian believer, the Jesuits’ motto, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, or “For the Greater Glory of God,” resonated with my faith. I believe that practicing law is a way to serve people and show that God’s love for humanity is also about standing up for the truth, combating corruption, and supporting the most vulnerable.
What experiences led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
After two years as an AmeriCorps VISTA coordinator with the Health Justice Project and a few months at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, I quickly realized that the law has its limits despite being a helpful tool. That is mostly why I became interested in the Rodin Fellowship, which creates an atmosphere for fellows to interact with like-minded people and provides opportunities for students to reflect on policy solutions, develop practical projects, and launch their social justice careers.
“I quickly realized that the law has its limits despite being a helpful tool.”
What are you most excited about working on as a Rodin Fellow?
My goal is to develop a social project to get law students more involved in communities and promote students’ interests in different facets of public interest work.
What else would you like to say about your experience at Loyola?
I am grateful for the people—namely faculty, staff members, and friends—I have met at Loyola. I am thankful for their genuineness and support, and for them reminding me that I belong in law school and can achieve my dreams.
As a Rodin Fellow, Sharon Kirchner wants to empower Loyola students to become more active in social justice and public interest.
Sharon Kirchner
Hometown: IL
Why Loyola?
Loyola’s Weekend JD/part-time program is unparalleled. We individually grow when we hear new perspectives from people who have walked different paths and come from different backgrounds. At Loyola, my peers are engineers, parents, police officers, former athletes, and beyond. It is an absolute privilege to constantly be in awe of the geniuses teaching me from the seats next to me.
Which areas of the law are you most passionate about?
All things criminal defense related. My faith guides me in recognizing that we are all imperfect. My legal internships have revealed to me that unhealed trauma, mental health struggles, and hardships frequently are at the root of bad decisions. Anyone facing the judgment of man through the legal system deserves zealous, compassionate advocacy and empathetic counseling.
“I realized my goal was to serve people with compassion and re-affirm each individual’s humanity.”
What experiences led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
God gifted me with a big heart. And a big mouth. I quickly learned along the way what a waste those gifts would be if not put toward the purpose of speaking up against rampant injustice plaguing the criminal justice system. Through opportunities working both at the state and public defender offices, I realized my goal was to serve people with compassion and re-affirm each individual’s humanity.
What are you most excited about working on as a Rodin Fellow?
I’m excited to seek out innovative ways to empower our Loyola students to become more active in the social justice and public interest realm. –Kristi Turnbaugh (January 2025)
The Curt and Linda Rodin Center for Social Justice fellowship program supports students as they develop the skills needed to work with underserved individuals and communities through litigation, legislative and policy reform, and other forms of advocacy. The opportunity to work in a community-based setting helps students learn how to collaborate with members of the community and take a community perspective on legal problems. Meet the 2025-26 Rodin Fellows.
Lindsay Nicholas
Hometown: Waxhaw, North Carolina
Why Loyola?
Prior to law school, I worked as a paralegal at Cabrini Green Legal Aid for three years. This was an incredible experience because it exposed me to several areas of the law, including the expungement of criminal records, family/housing law, and criminal defense. CGLA’s amazing attorneys also inspired me to pursue a career in pro bono advocacy. I chose Loyola because of the school’s reputation for producing skilled and dedicated public interest attorneys and because I knew I wanted to be in Chicago. I was particularly drawn to the opportunities provided by the Civitas ChildLaw Center, which influenced my decision to become a ChildLaw Fellow.
Which areas of the law are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about juvenile and family defense—ensuring that children stay out of the criminal legal system and that families remain intact. I am interested in any area of the law that mitigates the harms caused by incarceration, including advocating for prisoner’s rights and providing post-conviction relief.
What experiences led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
I believe Chicago is the greatest city in the world. However, it is also a city with a history of excluding marginalized communities from accessing essential resources. Since moving here in 2016 for college, I have dedicated myself to organizations that advance social justice, particularly in affordable housing and criminal justice policy. As a future attorney, I am committed to using the law to further these causes. I am a Rodin Fellow because I want to build a coalition of peers who share these same goals and to help connect Loyola to the greater Chicago community.
What else would you like to say about your experience at Loyola?
My experience at Loyola would have been very different if I hadn’t joined SUFEO as a 1L. SUFEO is a student-run organization that supports PreK-12 students facing school-related issues. I didn’t realize how much I missed working with actual clients until I had the opportunity to do so again through SUFEO. The Education Lab class allowed me to shadow intakes, review files, conduct research, and observe attorney meetings. This year, I am on the board of SUFEO and am so grateful for the incredible group of student advocates and attorneys I get to work with every week.
Elizabeth Martinez
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Why Loyola?
I visited Chicago for the first time in September 2022 to attend the LSAC law school forum. [While taking a tour of another law school], the tour guide … mentioned other local law schools’ commitment to public interest, and, to her, Loyola stood out. The next day I attended the LSAC forum and met with a Loyola representative who told me about the array of public interest opportunities available. I was immediately sold, and Loyola shot up to the top of my list. One of the best decisions I ever made in my life.
What experience led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
Before law school, I worked at an emerging adult justice organization and a civil injury practice. Both experiences taught me that across all areas of the law, vulnerable people are being mistreated or abandoned by institutions/entities who are supposed to handle them with dignity and fairness. Working for these individuals deepened my commitment to a public interest career. The Rodin Fellowship is precisely the program that will help me grow into a socially responsible lawyer who can help repair or even reimagine new justice systems that are rooted in well-informed policy and research.
What are you most excited about working on as a Rodin Fellow?
I am excited to work on the upcoming symposiums. I am amazed by the Rodin Center’s ability to bring together leaders and scholars across a variety of legal fields so that our community can exchange knowledge. These kinds of events are what spark important conversations that can lead to inspirational solutions to shortcomings in our justice systems. This year’s symposium on housing rights is especially relevant in light of recent Supreme Court decisions.
What else would you like to say about your experience at Loyola?
I feel so grateful for the quality of peers and faculty that are a part of the LUC Law community. At every turn, I come across passionate advocates who take the time to mentor me and encourage me in my pursuit of a legal education.
Dede Benissan
Hometown: Chicago
Why did you want to become a lawyer?
As far as I can remember, I have always abhorred social injustice, public corruption, human rights violations, and anything that oppresses the most vulnerable. For me, law school is a calling to be a different kind of lawyer, one who defends and educates but also dares to speak up when a law is fundamentally unjust.
Additionally, as a Christian believer, the Jesuits’ motto, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, or “For the Greater Glory of God,” resonated with my faith. I believe that practicing law is a way to serve people and show that God’s love for humanity is also about standing up for the truth, combating corruption, and supporting the most vulnerable.
What experiences led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
After two years as an AmeriCorps VISTA coordinator with the Health Justice Project and a few months at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, I quickly realized that the law has its limits despite being a helpful tool. That is mostly why I became interested in the Rodin Fellowship, which creates an atmosphere for fellows to interact with like-minded people and provides opportunities for students to reflect on policy solutions, develop practical projects, and launch their social justice careers.
What are you most excited about working on as a Rodin Fellow?
My goal is to develop a social project to get law students more involved in communities and promote students’ interests in different facets of public interest work.
What else would you like to say about your experience at Loyola?
I am grateful for the people—namely faculty, staff members, and friends—I have met at Loyola. I am thankful for their genuineness and support, and for them reminding me that I belong in law school and can achieve my dreams.
Sharon Kirchner
Hometown: IL
Why Loyola?
Loyola’s Weekend JD/part-time program is unparalleled. We individually grow when we hear new perspectives from people who have walked different paths and come from different backgrounds. At Loyola, my peers are engineers, parents, police officers, former athletes, and beyond. It is an absolute privilege to constantly be in awe of the geniuses teaching me from the seats next to me.
Which areas of the law are you most passionate about?
All things criminal defense related. My faith guides me in recognizing that we are all imperfect. My legal internships have revealed to me that unhealed trauma, mental health struggles, and hardships frequently are at the root of bad decisions. Anyone facing the judgment of man through the legal system deserves zealous, compassionate advocacy and empathetic counseling.
What experiences led you to become a Rodin Fellow?
God gifted me with a big heart. And a big mouth. I quickly learned along the way what a waste those gifts would be if not put toward the purpose of speaking up against rampant injustice plaguing the criminal justice system. Through opportunities working both at the state and public defender offices, I realized my goal was to serve people with compassion and re-affirm each individual’s humanity.
What are you most excited about working on as a Rodin Fellow?
I’m excited to seek out innovative ways to empower our Loyola students to become more active in the social justice and public interest realm. –Kristi Turnbaugh (January 2025)