The Mason Spirit

Evan Draim spent his first two years out of Princeton University being a voice for people who are still learning to advocate for themselves.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Evan returned to Northern Virginia—where he was born and raised—to work at ServiceSource, a nonprofit that provides resources, including job placement and career planning services, to individuals with disabilities. Draim worked directly with employers, often stepping in to explain the Americans with Disabilities Act and other regulations and laws.

Evan Draim is a Scalia Law School student and recipient of an A. Linwood Holton Jr. Leadership Scholarship. Photo by Ron Aira

What he didn’t realize was that the work he was doing made him the perfect candidate to receive the A. Linwood Holton Jr., Leadership Scholarship from Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School.

The scholarship is given to an incoming student who meets specific criteria, including having a proven history of helping others overcome discrimination.

“I knew that Mason was very generous with scholarships, but it was still a surprise to me,” Draim, now a first-year law school student, says. “Coming from the nonprofit sector, before law school, I didn’t have a huge amount saved up…so the scholarship means I didn’t have to take out expensive loans or have to worry about my financial future.”

While Draim continues to consult part time for ServiceSource, the scholarship has allowed him to focus on his studies and explore all the areas he’s interested in—and there are many. The diversity in the available legal clinics offered by the Scalia Law School is one reason Draim was excited about coming to Mason. He cites free speech, mental illness, and military and veterans causes as areas he wants to explore as he advances in his studies.

“Mason’s focus on actually getting their students out into the field, practicing in these clinics, doing externships…you really feel like you’re getting a great knowledge about what it means to practice law than just kind of sitting in a classroom and hearing about it from a professor.”

But while Draim is looking to dip his toes into many different legal areas, he remains dedicated to the same passions that he started his professional career off with.

“I want to use my legal education to serve others and kind of serve a cause greater than myself.”

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