Beantown Shootout
BU vs. BC Beantown Shootout Event Raises Money for Public Interest Legal Work
Boston, MA Oct. 6: Boston University Law School’s Public Interest Project (PIP) joined forces with Boston College Law School’s Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) to sponsor the third annual BU vs. BC Beantown Shootout Fundraiser on Thursday, October 2, which raised money for public interest legal work.
The Beantown Shootout pits BU and BC law students against one another in a basketball tournament. This year, BC took home the trophy, beating BU’s team 67-56. Still, BU Law broke attendance records by having three times as many fans cheering in the stands than BC. Over a hundred BU Law students got into the spirit at the pep rally beforehand and came to support the team. BU also won the halftime free throw contest sponsored by Kaplan, who donated 2 bar grants for students pursuing public interest careers at BU.
The real winners were the students committed to public interest work. Both PIP and PILF provide grants to students who accept unpaid summer positions with non-profit, public interest or government organizations. For example, this past summer PIP grant recipients worked for prosecutors, public defenders and U.S. attorneys; advised Boston homeowners facing foreclosure; and advocated for improved civil rights in India.
“BU and BC Law share a commitment to public interest legal work, and this event is a wonderful opportunity for students from both schools raise money and awareness for the public interest legal community,” noted Courtney Hunter, BU PIP’s President. PIP raised enough money from the event to provide 2 summer grants. BU also won the halftime event free throw contest, sponsored by Kaplan, who donated 2 bar grants to the winning school. Ms. Hunter remarked, “Based on the Beantown Shootout’s success, we are on track to provide grants for all the students who want to take advantage of them this year. Since many of our students pursue public interest jobs in Boston, this is great news for the local public interest legal community.”
Students, alumni and professors all contributed to the fundraiser’s success. Over 150 BU Law students supported the event by buying tickets and attending socials before and after the game. BU alumni pledged donations for every point BU scored during the game, and the professors pitched in as well, pledging pizzas for the student social that preceded the game. Attendees also contributed by purchasing raffle tickets in the hopes of winning an Ipod, courtesy of Westlaw, among other prizes.