On Sept. 13, the group recovered a Marine Corps flag that was standing in the wreckage, perched on the edge of a 4th floor office that had been split in half by the gaping hole left in the Pentagon. The flag had somehow survived the attack unscathed. The group returned the flag to the Marine Corps, where it would symbolically become a reminder of the events of that week.

What began as a quiet act of service became a symbol of resilience and commitment to country—and a story that continues to inspire more than two decades later.

Jared Hansbrough L’29 (far right in white) is pictured alongside the recovered Marine Corps flag.

The , professor of law, director of the  and professor of public administration in the , also knows that flag. It once stood behind the desk of his mentor and close friend, Peter Murphy, his son’s godfather and longtime counsel to the commandant of the Marine Corps.

At 9:37 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, Murphy was standing in front of it when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. Though injured, he returned to work the next day, determined that the law was as present on Sept. 12 as it had been on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. The flag was subsequently carried to Afghanistan and into space on the shuttle Endeavor before being returned to Murphy.

Today, it is displayed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, a lasting tribute to Murphy’s service (Murphy passed away in 2015), the service of Marines and most of all to the victims of 9/11.

“Peter, who was from New York, would have loved knowing that Jared had found his way to the law and to ���ϲ�����, or as he might have put it, that Jared had chosen to continue to support and defend the Constitution as a lawyer,” Baker says.

After more than two decades of military service followed by public service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hansbrough is now pursuing his law degree through the online hybrid JDinteractive program, preparing for a career in private practice. Today, we honor Hansbrough’s story, and the courage, sacrifice and service of all who responded in the wake of that tragic day.

Kaitlin Sommer

Kaitlin Sommer L’26 is always planning ahead. Throughout her life, she has continuously asked herself, “Is there a better or more efficient way to do this?”, “Am I advocating for what I need?”, “How can I figure this out by myself?” And, while this way of operating is a great skillset for any lawyer, Sommer has developed this method out of necessity and independence, as she navigates the world as a wheelchair user, as well as a child of Deaf adults.

Sommer attended Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) as a political science major for her undergraduate degree as part of a , which allows students to transfer from RIT to ���ϲ�����’s Law School after three years to finish their bachelor’s degree and at the same time start studying law.

As she prepares for her last year at ���ϲ�����, Sommer has made the most of many of the opportunities that come from being a law student—including attending the Fall 2024 Leadership Academy Intensive hosted by the Harvard Women’s Law Association at Harvard Law School and presenting at her alma mater’s third annual Together RIT: A Day of Dialogue centered on the theme of Deaf culture, disability and neurodiversity in her first ever public speaking appearance.

In January, Sommer added another responsibility to her already busy schedule: co-president of the  at ���ϲ����� Law, a position she shares with Emely Recinos L’26. The organization serves as a community for students with disabilities and their allies at ���ϲ����� Law, while also raising awareness and providing related information across the University.

“This is a new venture that I’m really excited about. We are a small group of students at ���ϲ����� Law, and it’s important that we have our voices heard,” says Sommer, noting that only about 1.4% of lawyers in the U.S. self-identify as having a disability according to the American Bar Association. “Emely, who also has a disability, and I have a new take, which revolves around being more vocal about disabled students’ experiences and how the University can best support us. I want the Disability Law Society to see where we can set permanent roots and have a noticeable space to make our voices heard. And, of course, having this kind of community at the Law School has helped me to know that I’m not alone.”

When Sommer started at ���ϲ����� Law, it seemed to make sense that she go into disability law, but some great advice from Professor of Law , a leading expert on civil rights litigation, disability law and civil procedure, gave her the freedom to consider other areas, too.

“Professor Macfarlane said that just because I’m a person with a disability doesn’t mean I have to go into disability law,” says Sommer. “She made me see that being a disabled person in any legal space is also representative, and my personal experience will make me a better professional no matter which field of law I choose. She has been such a good mentor and support system for me and has encouraged me to advocate for what I want and need.”

Sommer is very interested in pursuing national security law, while possibly finding a way to intersect that with disability law, too. She has taken courses through ���ϲ����� Law’s National Security Program and is working on her .

Her hope is to live and work in Washington, D.C., in the future. As an undergraduate, she interned for New York State Congressman Joe Morelle in the nation’s capital. Sommer recently completed an intern at the POPVOX Foundation, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for improvements in Congress. This summer, she is interning with The Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm, PLLC, in Washington, D.C. Despite these impressive opportunities, Sommer remains eager to learn more through her coursework and to seek out other experiences as she prepares to graduate.

“After all, I never want people to make assumptions about me just because I use a wheelchair,” Sommer says. “I hope to be a positive example of a compassionate and knowledgeable disabled lawyer who can better connect with my work through my life experiences, and ���ϲ����� Law is helping me get there.”

Kaitlin Sommer plans to pursue national security law and hopes to find a way to incorporate disability law, too.

The evening will begin at 5 p.m. with a reception in the Grand Hall and Terrace, featuring remarks by , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, and , vice president for diversity and inclusion. Following the reception, attendees will move to the K.G. Tan Auditorium for an introduction to the Mississippi Delta by English Professor and the screening of the documentary. Cheng will host a Q&A session for attendees after the film viewing.

A special screening of Samantha Cheng’s documentary “Honor and Duty: The Mississippi Delta Chinese” will be hosted on campus on Sept. 16.

Cheng’s documentary tells the story of the Chinese who were recruited to work in the Mississippi Delta after the Civil War. It explores how the community steadily grew in the early part of the 20th century, as Chinese families across the Delta opened grocery stores that served both the black and white populations. Despite the Chinese Exclusion Acts (1882-1943), which barred both immigration and citizenship for Chinese, more than 22,000 Chinese and Chinese Americans served in WWII. Among the Mississippi Delta Chinese, 132 served in the Army, 24 in the Air Force, 19 in the Navy and two in the Marines. These unsung heroes discuss their lives before, during and after the war.

Cheng’s documentary led to her authoring the , which finally honored the veterans in late 2020. She is now working on the Chinese American WWII Veterans Online Resource and Archive, which began this year. This is a comprehensive four-year project funded by a division within the National Archives and Records Administration.

The project is identifying and validating the service records of the over 22,000 Chinese and Chinese Americans who served on behalf of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and the U.S. Merchant Marine Corps during WWII. It is one of the largest grants using public funds to preserve Chinese American contributions to U.S. history.

Cheng comes to ���ϲ����� at the invitation of , who teaches Asian Americans and the Law at the College of Law. Szto and Cheng were childhood friends in the Chinese American church in New York City that Szto’s father founded, but were only reunited this year after losing touch for several decades.

According to Szto, Cheng’s work in telling the story of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) veterans dovetails with the groundbreaking research on current in their transition from service to civilian life. Szto says these stories and research are critical to addressing current anti-Asian and other racial violence in the U.S., and growing global tensions.

Co-sponsors for the film screening include the ;��;��;��;��; ; Asian American Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association; Asian Pacific American Law Students Association; Latinx Faculty and Staff Affinity Group; and the .

The College of Law hosted 21 undergraduate students from the Atlanta University Center during the college’s Inaugural Consortium Summer Residency Program May 16-20.

Thanks to a grant from AccessLex, these students, interested in pursuing a law degree, were able to travel to ���ϲ����� to learn about the legal profession and how to prepare for law school. Students arrived at the College of Law ready for the slate of events planned for the week, enjoying a tour of Dineen Hall and their first class session prior to a welcome dinner with an address from Dean , and words of wisdom from several distinguished alumni in attendance.

As the week went on, each day began with classroom lectures and panel discussions in Dineen Hall. Topics included a variety of subjects, encompassing:

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Developments
• Constitutional Law
• The Study of Law and the American Legal System
• Admissions Processes, LSAT Information and Various Resources

Instructors, speakers and panelists throughout the week included Vice Dean , Professor , Professor , Professor , Professor , Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion , Professor , Professor , Mariah Combs L’22 and Keyashia Willis L’22.

Outside of the classroom, students traveled to the Northern District of New York James M. Hanley Federal Courthouse where they heard from and engaged with Hon. Andrew Baxter (United States magistrate mudge, Northern District of New York), Hon. David Peebles L’75 (Recalled United States magistrate mudge, Northern District of New York), Hon. Glenn Suddaby L’85 (district judge, Northern District of New York), and Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91 and law clerk Michael Langan.

This was followed by a visit to the law office of Bond, Schoeneck and King (BSK) to hear a panel of perspectives from the judiciary along with a networking reception attended by several alumni and attorneys from the ���ϲ����� area. Panelists at the BSK event included Hon. Vanessa Bogan (judge, ���ϲ����� City Court), , Hon. Deborah Karalunas L’82 (presiding justice, Supreme Court, Commercial Division, Onondaga County), Hon. Ramon E. Rivera L ’94 (judge, New York State Court of Claims), and Judge Derrek Thomas (Fifth Judicial District of New York).

“There was robust engagement, in-depth learning and connections made among our faculty, staff, alumni, members of our federal and state judiciary, and our local legal professionals from various public and private law firm offices,” Melendez says. “The students exceeded already high expectations with their inquiries and the manner in which they engaged. They demonstrated a great deal of interest and their poised maturity exceeded their years.”

The final full day of the program included enriching cultural experiences for the students with a few historic Central New York stops. Traveling to Auburn, New York, the group had an opportunity to tour the Harriet Tubman House. While in Auburn, students also visited the Auburn Public Theater to hear from Angela Winfield, vice president and chief diversity officer of Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

They also heard from Ferris Smith from LSAC, earlier in the day and learned of various resources available to them as law school applicants. After a long and full day of activities, the afternoon wrapped up with dinner at Salt City Market, a new ���ϲ����� food hall representing our community with samples of diverse local foods to enjoy.

One of the students who participated in this program, Eric Jones, explained how invaluable this experience has been for him as a rising senior from Morehouse College.

“I never had a formal introduction to law school,” Jones says. “I’ve talked about it with a few lawyers but haven’t had any exposure to it otherwise. When I came across this opportunity, I thought—why not? The special incentive here was that there was no financial burden for us as a student. We could come and participate for no extra charge.”

This residency is a part of the College of Law’s partnership with the AUC schools, aiding young students in their path to determine how they can achieve their law degrees, the many paths to becoming a successful lawyer, and why the study of law is so important within our society.