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Exploring the real-world workings of law and government was central to the Emmanuel experience for recent graduate Cameron Howard ’25—and that journey is culminating with a prestigious Constitutional Studies fellowship through the Hertog Foundation.
Howard is one of 20 fellows from across the nation who will journey to Washington D.C. this summer to study key constitutional questions and controversies through the program. It’s an opportunity that aligns with both his interests and career goals—and he’s looking forward to two weeks of lectures led by Supreme Court litigators, legal scholars, and other experts.
“This is the area of law that I’ve become most interested in,” said Howard. “It’s right up my alley, and I think it will help my overall application and the story that I’m going to tell for law school.”
The Hertog Foundation is an educational not-for-profit that sponsors highly competitive and selective educational programs for outstanding individuals who seek to influence the intellectual, civic, and political life of the United States. The average GPA of accepted fellows this year was 3.81.
Howard’s fellowship grew out of discussions in October with Emmanuel Director of Scholarships and Fellowships, Dr. Laurie Johnston. He was looking for opportunities, so they talked about his goals and interests. Dr. Johnston said that’s usually the starting point for her process of helping students connect with the right programs.
“I like to dream with them a bit and find out what’s really driving them,” said Dr. Johnston. “Sometimes that happens to connect with something that crosses my desk and that’s exactly what happened in this case.”
Johnston and Howard met during his first year at Emmanuel. He received an email that highlighted fellowship possibilities and followed up on it. Raising awareness is a big part of Johnston’s role and she hosts periodic workshops on campus toward that goal.
“It’s important to start thinking of these opportunities early, because many are looking for leadership, community service, and engagement,” said Johnston.
The deadlines for many of these opportunities are September of the student's senior year. Johnston typically meets with prospective applicants the previous spring, to ensure everything is in place ahead of time.
Johnston had worked with Howard on an application last fall that didn’t pan out. But she remembered him and followed-up when the Hertog Foundation announced they were seeking applicants for the summer fellowship.
“She was really great, and sent it to me kind of out of the blue, saying she knew I was interested in that field” said Howard. “I probably wouldn’t have found this without her.”
Finding the Right Path
Howard explored several avenues of law and government while earning a degree in Economics at Emmanuel. He interned for U.S. Senator Joni Ernst in his home state of Iowa and for the prominent Boston lobbying firm Rasky Partners. But it was an internship with the Appeals Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston that helped Howard chart his current course toward appellate litigation.
“This fellowship kind of builds on that internship, because most appellate litigation focuses on the constitution and different questions about constitutional law,” he said.
Howard is currently back home in Iowa, working for a well-known law firm. It started as a 90-day intern and was recently offered a full-time position. He’s also preparing to take the LSAT, with plans to start filing law school applications this fall.
The Supreme Court is central to Howard’s ideal career path. His goals include starting with a clerkship, perhaps followed by a stint with a private practice that focuses on appellate cases there. His dream job is with the Office of the Solicitor General, which argues on behalf of the government in front of the Supreme Court.
In the meantime, he’s excited to learn from experts with firsthand experience at the venue and make connections with other fellowship taking similar paths.
“This is a rare opportunity,” said Howard. “I think it will be great- not only learning from the curriculum and guest speakers, but also just talking with other students who are ready to go to law school and share this interest.”
For more information about how Emmanuel encourages and assists students with these opportunities, visit the Scholarships and Fellowships page of the Emmanuel website, or email Dr. Johnston at johnsla [at] emmanuel.edu (johnsla[at]emmanuel[dot]edu).