Sharonda Friday Receives Raymond Spring Award
By Professor Lynette Petty
The Ray Spring award is given annually to the Washburn Law Clinic student who exhibits the highest commitment to providing legal services for clients in need. This year's recipient is Sharonda Friday. Sharonda served as counsel for clients in divorce, represented a grandmother in a private child in need of care action, and served as guardian ad litem for teenagers in the child in need of care system. Sharonda was patient and compassionate with all her clients. Her work with youth was particularly noteworthy. She worked one-on-one with her clients, listening to their concerns and monitoring and sometimes prodding the system to make sure there was a response to their needs. Sharonda's stated goal is to use her experience "in the trenches" to work as a lobbyist or advocate in policy development to improve the system. Anyone who has been around Sharonda Friday knows she has the determination, judgment, and sense of humor to accomplish her goals.
After graduation Sharonda would like to begin her career as a public servant in the Topeka area while her two sons, Philip and Jacyn, complete high school.
