Two outstanding students from the College of Staten Island’s Legal Studies Institute, Jackson Mushnick and Janel Wang, have been selected as the 2026 recipients of the Robert J. Scamardella Public Interest Law Summer Internship, an honor that recognizes academic excellence, commitment to public service, and a shared passion for pursuing careers in the legal field.
For Jackson, a junior Macaulay Honors College student majoring in Political Science and Philosophy with a minor in Legal Studies, the internship represents both a milestone and a stepping stone. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA and a strong interest in litigation and public interest law, he views the experience as a critical opportunity to deepen his understanding of the legal system.
“I am immensely grateful to be selected for the Scamardella Internship this summer,” Jackson said. “The internship will allow me to get hands-on experience in public interest law and thus gain more clarity about whether that is the right path for me. In speaking with Project Director Nadia Hernandez, I was told I will be gaining exposure to a wide range of legal areas, which also excites me in that I will be able to learn about the idiosyncrasies of each field and discover whether I have a particular passion for any of them.”
Jackson was quick to point out how being a part of the Legal Studies program has aided him in his pursuits so far. “The one-on-one advising with Dr. Michael Paris has kept me on track to successfully apply to law school, by setting an application timeline with me, recommending which classes I should take and providing guidance as to whether being a lawyer is the right path for me,” he noted. “I have also attended speaking engagements and book talks from law professors and attorneys, as well as networking events which are hosted by the Institute, which has enabled me to explore the depth of legal thought and the manifold pathways in the law.”
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