The Women’s Law Society (“WLS”) hosted its second annual Mr. & Ms. FIU Law event on March 24, 2016. The event raised just over $700 to donate to Amigos for Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect by valuing children, strengthening families, and educating communities. Amigos for Kids provided blue ribbon pins that stated, “There’s NO excuse for child abuse!” for each person who purchased a ticket.
To fundraise for this successful event, WLS sold tickets for entry ($5 each) as well as raffle tickets ($1 each). The winners of the raffle, Professor Kotey and Brian Brophy (1L), each received gift baskets. The baskets consisted of gift cards and various snacks. Over 50 law students and several faculty members attended the event to show support for WLS, Amigos for Kids, and the contestants. Several law firms also made donations, including Trujillo, Vargas, Ortiz & Gonzalez, LLP and Robbins & Reynolds P.A.
The event was hosted by WLS Vice President, Marina Veiga (3L) and WLS Faculty Outreach Director, Alexis Hanson (2L). WLS Fundraising Director, Helen Sayers (2L) planned and organized the event. Adam Abecassis (2L) was the DJ and the event included a photo booth with props. FIU Law students nominated contestants on Facebook, and Sayers reached out to the contestants asking them to participate in the event. They all eagerly agreed.
The Mr. & Ms. FIU Law competition consisted of three rounds: (1) Best Business Attire, (2) Q&A, and (3) Best Talent. BLSA President, Charles McGee (3L), HLSA President, Gabby Gonzalez (3L), and FAD President, Ashley Mapp (2L) were the three judges.
Some questions that the judges asked included: (1) “You are about to be placed by yourself on a secluded island. What three items would you bring with you? Why these?” (2) “If you had one superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?” (3) “Why should you be Mr. or Ms. FIU?” (4) “If you could pick one person, dead or alive, to have dinner with, who would it be and why?”
Pictured above are Grettel Zubiaur (3L), won Ms. FIU Law after a spicy salsa dance with SBA President Kirk Villain, Justin McNealy (2L), won Mr. FIU Law for the second consecutive year. He performed “I put a Spell on You” from Hocus Pocus, complete with a wild wig, broom, and heels.
Kelly Scott (2L), won Ms. Congeniality after taking the audience on a mock Disney VIP tour, using a British accent.
Charles Thompson (1L), won the Mr. Congeniality award, which he shared with his seven month old son, who’s diaper he changed in less than a minute for the talent portion of the show.
Janessa Brito (3L), won Best Talent for breaking boards with her bare hands.
Jessica Satinoff (3L), Michael Lowe (3L), Sam Basch (1L), and Stephanie Zinni (1L) also competed and each wowed the audience with their own lip-syncing performance.
Sayers shared that WLS chose to fundraise for Amigos for Kids because April is child abuse prevention month. Sayers explained: “After last year’s event, WLS really wanted to make the Mr. & Ms. FIU Law fundraising competition a tradition, because it gives everyone the opportunity to get together, have a little fun, and help support a local organization that is dedicated to an important cause.”
Sayers volunteered to serve as WLS’s Fundraising Director because she “is proud of how generous and dedicated our students are to giving back.”