The Rhodes finalist will spend the summer working for a judge in D.C. and next year as a victim advocate in Denver.
Ray Epstein, Temple Student Government president and Truman Scholar, will work for a judge in D.C. this summer and as a client services intern in Denver this fall.
Photo by Ryan S. Brandenberg
Ray Epstein
Degree: BA, communication and social influence
College: Klein College of Media and Communication
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Why I chose Temple: I was visiting campuses in the spring of 2021 when the country was still under pandemic restrictions. I found Temple s campus to be vibrant and welcoming despite taking all of the necessary precautions. At the Saxby s on Liacouras Walk, they were singing to Don t worry, be happy as they handed out coffee. I felt that Temple was a community I could be a part of a place where I could find happiness even during troubled times. And all that was on top of the academics being offered.
Transformative Temple moment: In the fall of 2023, I held the first meeting of a new student organization I had founded Student Activists Against Sexual Assault. Twenty students showed up, and it was so meaningful to me to create this space for them a space where we could feel comfortable sharing our experiences. I had worked on setting up the infrastructure for the organization for a year prior, so seeing it all come to fruition was so gratifying. And today, with the organization reaching nearly 500 members, it s inspiring to see what we can accomplish when we support each other.
What s next: In addition to taking my LSATs later this summer, I will be studying at George Washington University in D.C. as part of the Truman Scholarship I was awarded last spring and working for U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui. Then, this fall, I will be moving to Denver to work at the Denver Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center as a client services intern. Hopefully, next fall will be law school.
Kim Fischer
