Christina Bagin has been selected as the Garrison Social Justice Scholar for the Class of 2028. Bagin’s honor was announced by Assistant Dean and Martha Craig Daughtrey Director for Public Interest Beth Cruz ’10.
The Garrison Social Justice Scholarship supports students who will use their legal training to advance social justice by serving clients who have been disenfranchised, have suffered discrimination, and are unable to protect their rights. The scholarship, which is endowed by Amy Price Garrison (BA’79) and Frank M. Garrison ’79 (BA’76) through the Amy and Frank Garrison Social Justice Fund, is awarded each spring to a member of the current 1L class. Garrison Scholars receive a supplemental annual scholarship for their second and third years of law school. The scholarship also includes stipend support to allow recipients to pursue unpaid legal work with public interest organizations during the two summers prior to graduation.
“The scholarship means that the school has really invested in my path, so I feel a greater sense of responsibility, but also more empowered than ever,” said Bagin.
Bagin will spend her summer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, working for Still She Rises, the first holistic defense office in the U.S. to represent mothers exclusively in civil and criminal legal systems. She will be assisting with legal research and writing, client interviews, and case prep, among other responsibilities.
“I’m thrilled about working for Still She Rises. I hope to spend my career working with women’s and girls’ issues, and motherhood sits at the crux of those issues in so many ways,” she explained.
Bagin was drawn to Vanderbilt Law by the high quality of life, classroom experience, and collaborative culture. “I feel very lucky to have the support of the Vanderbilt Law School public interest community, particularly Dean Cruz and Professor Daniel Sharfstein, the George Barrett Social Justice Program Director and my Property Law professor,” she said. “They really care deeply about developing the public interest program here.” Bagin spent time during her 1L year working at locally based expungement clinics, as well as the Dismas House, a local reentry program for men transitioning back into the community from state prisons and county jails.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Hamilton College. Before entering Vanderbilt Law, she worked as a Summer Enrichment Coordinator for DREAM Philadelphia, an AmeriCorps program committed to bridging the opportunity gap for low-income children.
“The scholarship is an affirmation of what I intend to do with my life—using legal channels to create a more just, equitable society,” Bagin said. “I have been so fortunate in my life to have received such a phenomenal education, first at Hamilton and now here at Vanderbilt, and I believe it is my responsibility to use my education and my skill set to make the world a better place.”