Welcome to the Office of Student Affairs & Diversity

Andi Dahmer

SBA President

Class of 2025

Hometown: Louisville (Fisherville), Kentucky

What I like about the Brandeis School of Law: The Brandeis community has been so supportive of me in pursuing my big dreams. When I did not yet have the confidence to apply for national and international opportunities, peers, faculty, and staff encouraged me to dream even bigger. In addition to serving as SBA President locally, I also serve on the Board of Governors for the American Bar Association and on the Law Student Division Council for the United States. This year, I am one of twelve Ms. JD Fellows nationally. I would never have known about these opportunities were it not for the kindness and mentorship of the faculty at Brandeis. The same faculty were instrumental in helping me pursue an externship with the Kentucky State Senate, a summer clerkship with the Kentucky Supreme Court, and studying abroad three times throughout law school. I am where I am today because of the kindness and mentorship of others. I stand on the shoulders of giants.

Career goal: I intend to pursue a career in public service. Immediately upon graduation, I would like to clerk in the state or federal judiciary. Eventually, I dream of running for public office. Throughout my career, my life's goal is to make the Commonwealth of Kentucky a more just and equitable place.

Who has influenced you the most: I have had a team of incredible female mentors during my path to law school and throughout my legal career. Prof. Michelle Browning Coughlin, Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong, Supreme Court Justice Angela Bisig, and Prof. Kelly Meurer have changed the trajectory of my career in innumerable ways through their unwavering faith in me. They sought out opportunities for me and encouraged me to apply when I did not yet have the confidence in myself to do so. My mother, Dr. Ann Coffey, has been an incredible leader in the medical field and taught me that women deserve a space in underrepresented fields. Finally, the women attorneys at Thomas Law Offices helped me file my very first Title IX lawsuit. Without them, I would not have pursued law school.

Favorite quote: "Never be so kind, you forget your power. Never wield such power, you forget to be kind." – Taylor Swift

Chearlise Stoudemire

SBA Executive Vice President

Class of 2025

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky

What I like about the Brandeis School of Law: While law school challenges me daily, I've built a community that makes me feel like I can do anything, so I'd say that is what I like about the law school.

Career goal: I have always wanted to go into the public interest sector of the law field, specifically civil rights. I spent my summer working for the Kentucky Equal Justice Center focusing on eviction defense and housing in general, which I enjoyed, and I'd love to explore that more.

Who has influenced you the most: My mom is my biggest influence. She's not an attorney but she's the most selfless person I've ever met, and she pushes me every day. She's my biggest cheerleader.

Favorite quote: "She was unstoppable. Not because she did not have failures or doubts, but because she continued on despite them." – Beau Taplin

Shane Nuckolls

Class of 2025

Hometown: Fredericksburg, Texas

What I like about the Brandeis School of Law: It is interesting how simple yet complex some things are. Rewiring your brain to see the differences is very interesting.

Career goal: I want to work with Legal Aid for a while and then hang my own shingle.

Influence: If I were to narrow this to a single person, it would have to be my wife. She supported me going back to school and makes every day interesting.

Favorite quote: "Que sera, sera" – What will be, will be.

Irie Ewers

Class of 2025

Hometown: Holdenville, Oklahoma

What I like about the Brandeis School of Law: The professors are out of this world! I don't think I'd still be in law school (and excited for my legal career) if I hadn't garnered such authentic mentorship my 1L year. Not only are our professors at the top of their respective fields, but they also genuinely care about our success.

Career goal: Heal: heal our systems, heal our world, heal myself in the ongoing process. While this may translate into practical administrative law - from environmental to immigration - or civil rights, my ultimate career goal is to amplify marginalized voices.

Who has influenced you the most: My chosen family. My partners. My favorite poets. My therapist.

Favorite quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." – Margaret Mead

Wake Gardner

Class of 2025

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment.

What I love most about my family and friends: What I love the most about the people who are around me is that they stuck with me through the hard times. It has not always been easy to be my friend, my brother, my parents, but they stuck with me and did not leave me on my own. I love and appreciate the grace which those around me have given me, and how they have loved me through it all. I am incredibly grateful for those people.

Why Brandeis? For undergrad, I attended New Mexico State University, where I majored in Government and History. After working for five years, I knew I needed to make a change. I knew I needed to go to law school to develop more skills so I could have more opportunities in my life. Brandeis was a great fit because it was a part of the country I wanted to live in, and the environment felt comfortable. When Dean (Nicholas) Stiegelmeyer called to let me know I was accepted, I felt very welcome, and I knew I would belong there.

What have you learned since your 1L year? I have learned to think in a different manner. Much to the chagrin of my non-law school friends, I have learned so much, and I now see the world a bit differently. I have also gotten the chance to meet people who are so different than me; I have gained other perspectives that are invaluable.

What are you most proud of? I am proud of becoming the President of LLSA. I love that organization; it made me feel included, and I hope I can do the same for the incoming 1Ls. The greatest challenge I have ever overcome, and what I am most proud of, is being sober. I have been sober for eight years, and eight years ago, my life was out of control, and I hit "my bottom." But I was given a second chance at life, and I am grateful for the opportunity.

What does "inclusive" mean to you? Inclusiveness to me is a willingness to gather and collect more ideas to hear other perspectives. In law school, part of the Socratic method is learning from each other, and how someone else interprets something can help you learn and improve. Excellence to me is getting the most out of your God-given talents and abilities. No matter what it is, if you work to be the best version of yourself, you are achieving excellence.

Career goal: I would like to be a lobbyist in either Washington, DC, Florida, or another state in the south. Or I would like to find a career path where I can spend time living in Europe and learning more about the world.

Favorite quote: “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Caroline Dew

Class of 2025

Hometown: Paducah, Kentucky

What do you love most about your family and/or friends? I love the constant support my family and friends show me.

What undergraduate and graduate degrees do you have? What majors/minors? I have a BA in history and a minor in German!

Why law school and why Brandeis? I was lost as a senior in undergrad and didn't know where my next steps were. I started looking into the LSAT, and decided I'd give it a shot. I chose Brandeis because I went to undergrad in Louisville.

How have you changed since your 1L year? Since 1L year, I'm much less "lost" in what I want to do. It's clear to me now that I made the right choice in coming to law school, and I'm much more confident in myself thanks to what I've learned in school and encouragement from my mentors.

In addition to getting into the UofL Brandeis School of Law, what are you most proud of and why? I am proud to be published in the Kentucky Advocate. I've always wanted to be published! My mentor Mike Schafer has given me some amazing opportunities through the Kentucky Justice Association—one of them being to work with him on a publication.

How do you define "inclusive"? How do you define "excellence"? I define inclusive as an environment wherein everyone's perspectives and experiences are not only welcome, but encouraged. I define excellence as a constant effort to improve.

What is your professional goal for five years from now? My professional goal is to have a healthy work-life balance and to be in a position where I can work 1-on-1 with my clients in a small environment.

Favorite quote and author or favorite piece of advice and who was it from? "Dear old world, you are very lovely and I'm glad to be alive in you," from Anne of Green Gables. Sometimes it's just a good reminder.

Bret Nyquist

Class of 2026

Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa

Undergraduate and graduate degrees and majors: I have a B.A. in Secondary Education.

What do you love most about your family? Their unending love and support!

What made you want to serve your country? I wanted to do things I’ve never done, meet people from all over the United States, and go places I’ve never been. I am happy to say I got the chance to do all those things.

What are you most proud of as a member of the service? I think I am most proud of the relationships that I’ve created in the Army. Although everyone’s experience is different, I often feel an instant bond when I meet veterans because of the shared experiences we have had in our time in the service.

Why do you want to be a lawyer? I want to be an advocate for people in need and help them navigate the legal system in a way they couldn’t otherwise do on their own.

What do you like most about Brandeis School of Law? My fellow students and the professors are my favorite thing about Brandeis. It’s a very supportive culture. I enjoy discussing cases with my classmates, and my professors are willing to do anything to help me succeed.

What is your professional goal for five years from now? I want to be a practicing attorney in Nashville, Tennessee.

What would you tell a 1L about law school and/or life? I would tell an incoming 1L that there is nothing to be nervous about. Your professors and fellow classmates are here to help you!

How do you cope when times are challenging? Whenever something is challenging, I take time to think of everything in life I am grateful for. If there is a challenging concept in one of my classes that seems impossible to understand, I take a moment and remind myself that it’s a blessing to be in law school. This reminder gives me a renewed energy to embrace the challenges I face.