Regent University School of Law Celebrates Excellence at the Ronald L. Fick Book Awards

Students in Regent University School of Law (LAW) who received the highest grades in their 2018 Spring Semester classes received recognition for their hard work last week at the Ronald L. Fick Book Award Ceremony.

Book awards, a time-honored tradition amongst law schools, is relatively new to the LAW community.

“I’m happy to see this turnout,” said interim LAW dean, Judge Patricia West (Ret.). “It’s a great honor to receive a book award.”

Believing an institution should honor its students who achieve academic excellence, and desiring to see Regent’s mission furthered, Ronald Fick — father of Allison Fick ’14 (LAW) — helped in getting the tradition started only a few years ago.

“[Ronald Fick] fell in love with the mission of this school … with this place and our students,” said Dr. Jeffrey Brauch, LL.M. program director.

“Fick believed that when we’re getting ready for class every day, when we’re getting ready for exams, we’re actually doing this for the honor of the Lord,” said Brauch. “We’re to pursue excellence because by doing that we honor God.”

The awards, Brauch said, occasions a chance for students to celebrate one another’s accomplishments.

“In God’s economy, there’s no scarcity,” said Ernie Walton, LAW’s assistant dean of admissions . “One person’s success does not equal another person’s failure. God has plans for each of you.”

“I’ve been blessed to … hear how excited fellow were for their classmates to receive a book award,” Walton added. “That’s really blessed me to see the heart of all of you as you’ve encouraged and honored all your classmates.”

“I never ever expected to receive a book award,” said third year law student Ashna Desai. “I really saw, that day by day, I was making it by the Lord’s strength … We’re here because of him, to fulfil his will and not ours.”