Wentzell
Graduation Day at Haramaya
Institute (OSI) International Scholar in Yerevan,
“Mostly, though, I was drawn by the quality of
Armenia. OSI is a non-profit organization that
legal education, I was impressed by the variety of
helps to promote more open societies by shaping
educational backgrounds and research interests
government policy through support of education,
of the faculty. It is a relatively small law school for
the media, public health, and human rights,
such a major research universityand this adds to
especially in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
the sense of camaraderie and community. And I
“At the time I applied to the UW SchooI of Law, I was working at Yerevan State University as an
was most lucky to receive a scholarship from the Washington Law School Foundation.
Assistant Professor in the Departments of Political
“The faculty was always available to chat and
Science and Sociology. I had always planned
to help both with class work and any support
to attend law school, and after my graduate
needed to find jobs or internships. Professor
studies at the London School of Economics, and
Anita Ramasastry was constantly inquiring into
time spent working in academia, I thought it
my career plans and seemed genuinely interested
made sense to return to the U.S. for law school,”
in my future. She was always helpful in providing
Wentzell says. “I had also recently been detained
support in whatever way she could. I admire her
by the military in Azerbaijan for traveling to the
for that and I try to extend that same helpful hand
disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh without
to my students at Haramaya.”
authorization, so in a sense, too, I was also ready to leave the Caucasus.”
After graduation, Wentzell traveled to Ethiopia to work as a Professor of Law at Haramaya University.
Wentzell received his undergraduate degree in
Founded in 1954, Haramaya University is the
Political Science and Philosophy from the UW
oldest and most-established higher education
in 2000. “I didn’t apply anywhere else for law
institute in Eastern Ethiopia with nearly 33,000
school. I had such fond memories of Seattle,
students in its regular, extension, and continuing
and of my time at UW. The law school had such
education programs. The College of Law, founded
a great reputation, too. I was interested in the
in only 2002, is recognized as one of Ethiopia’s top
school because of the faculty as well as the wider
university law programs with an international
UW environment. I must say, though, that being
faculty and reach, including some of the UW
in Seattle was a big draw, and while working in
School of Law’s very own: Professors Pat Kuszler,
landlocked Armenia I had visions of myriad coffee
Sallie Sanford, and Jon Eddy have all spent time at
shops, cycling on the Burke Gilman trail, hiking
Haramaya. Recent LL.M. graduate, Brooke I.
in the Cascades, and everything else that Seattle
Glass-Oshea ’10, has also joined the College of
offers, on my mind.”
Law full-time as an Assistant Professor and as the Editor of the recently established Haramaya Law Review; Elisha Jussen-Stein Cooke ’11 also
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