When Justin O’Neill (BS in Computer Science ’25) began his college journey, his path forward held many unknowns. Fast-forward to today and he is finishing his third year at Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems and preparing for a summer internship at a major international company! I was thrilled to have a chance to speak with Justin about his last few years at Pace and the ways in which he has confronted uncertainty and taken charge of his course.

Like many high school students, Justin began thinking about college in his junior year. He didn’t know where he wanted to go or what he wanted to study, but he did know that playing basketball was going to be part of the equation. In fact, it was through basketball that Pace University landed on his radar. “I’m from New Hampshire, so I hadn’t known about Pace until I came to visit,” shares Justin. “I was impressed with what I saw during my tour, so I decided to apply here.” Justin was admitted and began in the Fall of 2021.

Justin was undecided about his major when he started at Pace. He always excelled in mathematics, but it was unclear if pursuing it as a major was the right choice. In the spring of his first year, Justin took a computer science course, taught by a Seidenberg faculty member, and it was this experience that gave him clarity. “I recall being drawn to programming and coding in high school,” notes Justin. “I don’t think I realized that my interest could align with a major in Computer Science (CS).” In fact, as Justin describes, “I was discovering what it meant to major in CS seemingly in real-time,” as with every passing semester, he’s gained more of an understanding of the degree and where it might take him in the future.

While his first course with Seidenberg was in his second semester, Justin’s first experience with Seidenberg took place in his first. “As part of UNV 101, students were asked to conduct an informational interview with someone from Pace,” shares Justin. “I requested an interview with Dr. Jonathan Hill, the Dean of the Seidenberg school, who agreed to meet with me.” Reflecting on the experience, Justin shared being somewhat in awe that the meeting took place:

“That someone as busy as the Dean agreed to meet with me was surprising, but as I’ve gotten to know the Dean, I know that openness and the willingness to go above and beyond, is simply who he is.”

And it is not just the Dean whom Justin believes goes the extra mile. “Everyone in the Seidenberg community is so welcoming and helpful,” notes Justin. “On the occasion that I’ve had an issue with my schedule or something, I can always count on the Seidenberg team to help me resolve it.” According to Justin, other things that add to the ‘community vibe’ in Seidenberg include small class sizes, accessible faculty, and a cohort of peers with whom he takes most of his classes.

Earlier this spring, Justin began his search for a summer internship. Thanks to help from Pace’s Career Services, Justin was ready with his resume and LinkedIn profile, and he began sending out applications to every internship opportunity he could find. “I was very enthusiastic and motivated,” shares Justin, “however, I think I was a bit naïve to the process, as I sent out a lot of applications but was not hearing back.” At that point, Justin proactively began reaching out to individuals in his network to ask for tips and advice on how he tweak his approach to ensure a more positive result. One of the people Justin contacted was Dean Hill.

“We met a couple of times in person,” notes Justin. “I explained the type of experience I was looking for and my approach to-date.” One thing Justin expressed during these conversations was the desire for an internship close to home in New Hampshire. “From there, Dean Hill made a connection with one of his contacts at Staples who interviewed me for an intern role,” notes Justin. “I was thrilled when I heard back that I was accepted, and I immediately contacted Dean Hill to thank him.”

As the semester ends, Justin is finishing classes and preparing for his summer at Staples. “I am taking some preparatory courses that were recommended to me,” shares Justin, “And I will get a bit of a break before the internship starts in early June.” Justin is excited for the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional setting and to further his skills.

“I am really grateful for the opportunity and for the strong support system in Seidenberg that has helped me along the way!”

Stay tuned for more from Justin as we learn about his internship experience later this summer!

Professor Leslie Tenzer started her journey at Haub Law in 1986 as a Lecturer of Law, before joining officially as a professor in 1990. Most recently, Professor Tenzer was named the Luk-Cummings Family Faculty Scholar (2021–2023) and the James D. Hopkins Professor of Law (2019–2021). Professor Tenzer's scholarship and teaching is known to bridge the worlds of theory and practice, most recently with a particular focus on regulating conduct in the digital age. Her other scholarly and research interests include constitutional regulation, criminal punishment for emotional harm, social media law, and affirmative action regulation. A favorite in the classroom, she has taught a number of courses during her tenure at Haub Law, including Commercial Law Article 2, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts, and Social Media Law. In addition, Professor Tenzer is the host of two popular legal podcasts, Law to Fact, and Legal Tenzer: Casual Conversations on Noteworthy Legal Topics. When she isn't in the classroom, you can find Professor Tenzer staying active - whether it be through yoga, golf, and or even a mini-triathalon. Learn more about Professor Tenzer in this Q&A.

You have taught at Haub Law for quite some time, can you tell us about how that started?
I have been working for Haub Law for too long to admit! I began as a legal research and writing professor and then left to work for the city of New York. While there, I drafted legislation including the window bars law and the very first no-smoking law. I returned to Haub Law and have had the good fortune of teaching criminal law, constitutional law, entertainment law, tort law, contracts, sales and now social media law.

Your research interests and areas of expertise include commercial law, social media law, criminal law, and more – what is it about those areas that hold your interest?
I am always interested in what is on the horizon. While in law school, I wrote about reporting early election results. It was an issue at the time because the major networks would report the results from the east coast states before the polls on the west coast states closed and many argued that the practice deterred west coast electors from voting. I wrote a paper on the issue for the law review and it was selected for publication. It was so timely that right before the paper went to print, congress adopted a law prohibiting the reporting of early election returns. Since that time, I have always looked to write about things that are very timely. Social Media fit the bill when I started thinking about it in 2006.

Where do you see the future of social media law heading?
This is such an exciting time for the legality of social media. Until about 2 or 3 years ago, social media posed some interesting issues like, how to sanction jurors who tweet, whether schools can punish students for off campus posts, etc. But more recently, the Supreme Court has had to reckon with Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provides social media sites with immunity from lawsuits for anything posted on their sites. Two cases last term and four this term deal with Section 230. No one knows how to fix it, and I suspect the Supreme Court will not be able to offer a remedy to those who want to sue a social media website either.

In 2017, you launched your own podcast, Law to Fact, and then more recently, you became the host of Legal Tenzer: Casual Conversations on Noteworthy Legal Topics, which was created in collaboration with West Academic. What peaked your interest in starting a podcast and what is the goal of Legal Tenzer?
I started my podcasts because I wanted to offer students a way to learn while they could work-out or drive in their car. West Academic enjoyed my original podcast, Law to Fact, so much that they asked me to host a podcast for them. That podcast is Legal Tenzer, and I am thrilled that both podcasts, which are available on almost all major podcast platforms, are very well received. In Law to Fact, students enjoyed a candid view on all things law school and relevant legal topics. With Legal Tenzer, I feel fortunate that I get to discuss such a range of timely legal topics with a variety of experts – from artificial intelligence law, to rethinking the law school curriculum, to environmental governance, and more.

Why did you want to become a professor?
At the University of Florida, where I attended law school, 3Ls taught legal research and writing. I loved it so much that I wanted to continue to teach. I spent a year at the Fashion Institute of Technology teaching business law, and that solidified my passion for teaching. I love teaching students and engaging them in the relevancy of the law. When students come to law school, they may not realize the full extent that a subject like torts applies to their everyday life. By the time they leave my class, it is impossible for them to not see a potential tort throughout their daily activities!

You recently published an article, A 180 on Section 230: State Efforts to Erode Social Media Immunity, with a current Haub Law student, how did that collaboration develop?
I was so impressed with my research assistant's research and quality of work, Hayley Margulis, that I thought it was only fair to ask her to partner with me rather than support me. The article writing process became a true collaboration. While I am tasked with teaching my students, I learn so much from them as well. Part of being a successful professor is being open to learning new things.

What advice do you have for law students?
For law students generally, I would say give law school your all. Read all the cases and think about them, take every class you can enroll in. You are only in law school for 3 years and once out, lawyers tend to practice a very discreet area and no longer have the chance to explore new legal issues. Regarding reading the cases, I think students deprive themselves of a proper legal education when they rely on Quimby or other canned briefs. The purpose of law school is to learn to think like a lawyer and the best way to do it (the only way in my opinion) is to read the analysis of cases and think about how judges got to the rule they got to.

Aside from law, how do you spend your spare time?
I love exercise, yoga, golf, knitting, and listening to music. I completed a century ride around Lake Tahoe, and a mini-triathlon before that. They were years ago, but I enjoyed the challenges and never miss the chance to tell people about them!

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Lauren Shelton

Class of 2026

BS, Criminal Justice/MS, Homeland Security

Recently, and as the Center for Community Action and Research (CCAR)’s student outreach and social media coordinator, Lauren Shelton has been named to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Student Voting Honor Roll, a national recognition for students who show an exceptional commitment to non-partisan student voter outreach. She is one of 137 students nationwide selected for this honor and representing Pace University.

Please tell us more about your work with CCAR and how this recognition is meaningful to you.

When I was in the ninth grade, I signed up to register high school seniors turning 18 to vote and didn't think anything of it; I just wanted to get involved at school. Little did I know that this would open up a passion for voter education I further explored throughout high school and then at Pace through CCAR. At CCAR, I am now able to participate in voter education, along with work with community partners throughout New York City and host civic engagement and social justice-related events.

CCAR has given me the opportunity to explore and host events related to societal topics that are important to me, such as Narcan training to help with the Fentanyl crisis, reproductive justice events, and a Protesting 101 workshop, in addition to all the voting events we have every year. It is an honor to be recognized by ALL In for my work at Pace because ever since I joined CCAR my second week of freshman year, I have been given the opportunity to encourage political participation throughout Pace and it feels good to be recognized for that work.

How did you become interested in pursuing criminal justice as a course of study?

I’ve always been passionate about law and criminal justice-related subjects, as well as helping to reform the criminal justice system, so my major of choice was not a question when I got into Pace. Criminal Minds is also my favorite show.

CCAR has given me the opportunity to explore and host events related to societal topics that are important to me, such as Narcan training to help with the Fentanyl crisis, reproductive justice events, and a Protesting 101 workshop, in addition to all the voting events we have every year.

Why did you choose to attend Pace?

Access to internships was definitely one of my main reasons, because I wanted as many opportunities as possible to explore my field before leaving college, and Pace provides that to its students.

The five-year combined BS in Criminal Justice and MS in Homeland Security degree is also a unique program that is not offered at many other universities. As someone from Los Angeles who has always dreamt about attending school in New York City, these reasons were worth moving across the country to attend Pace.

What have your experiences been like with the New York Criminal Justice Department? What faculty have been instrumental in your journey?

I’ve had a great experience with the Criminal Justice Department here at Pace. I’ve taken classes such as Organized Crime, Intro to Criminal Investigation, and Terrorism and Society, and learned from fantastic professors such as Christina Chuliver and David Mulcahy, who have helped increase my interest and passion for the major. Professor Chuliver has been a huge supporter of not only my work in the Criminal Justice Department, but also at CCAR, allowing me to come to her classes and talk to students about ways to get involved and register to vote. Professor Mulcahy has given me the opportunity to study unique subjects in the criminal justice system, such as organized crime, and has also been a supporter of my interest in joining the FBI. Professor Cathryn Lavery has also been a huge support during my time at Pace, allowing me to bring voter registration forms to criminal justice-related events and answering any and all of my many questions.

What other activities and organizations have you been involved with as a student?

In addition to my work with CCAR, and as part of my Civic Engagement course, I have been volunteering at the New York Common Pantry, helping provide food for New Yorkers battling food insecurity. During my sophomore year, I was also student co-chair for the DJ Henry Memorial during Social Justice Week, and I hope to continue my involvement the rest of my time here at Pace. Outside of Pace, I have done some volunteering, such as at South Bronx United, providing tutoring and mentoring for students coming from low-income neighborhoods as they prepare for Regents and SAT exams, as well as homework and other exams.

What would you like to do upon graduation/what are your career goals?

I hope to complete my master’s in homeland security here at Pace, and then become a counter-terrorism field agent at the FBI, with work experience prior to that possibly including joining the Drug Enforcement Administration or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

What advice would you like to give to our current students?

My biggest piece of advice is to get involved on campus. I am eternally grateful I got involved with CCAR at the beginning of my freshman year because it has allowed me to explore so many opportunities and meet so many new people. Going to college and being in New York City can be intimidating, so surrounding yourself with people and activities is crucial.

Pace University completed a perfect regular season and conference tournament with a 20-0 record

For the first time in program history, the No. 1 nationally ranked Pace University women’s lacrosse team secured its first Northeast 10 conference championship.

The Pace women’s lacrosse team completed a perfect regular season and conference tournament, going to 20-0 overall. They closed out the conference tournament by defeating Adelphi University, 16-14 in a historic victory. The Setters will take on Bentley University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at home in Northwell Stadium.

“We are thrilled with our NE10 championship from this weekend and are looking forward to hosting the NCAA regional games at Pace University,” said Head Coach Tricia Molfetta. “The NE10 conference has always been stacked with nationally ranked programs and we are happy to have achieved this in the short 10-year history of our program. This championship comes in our 10-year anniversary, and we celebrate this championship with all of our alumni as well as the current 2024 team.”

After clinching their inaugural national championship in 2023, the Setters outscored their opponents this season, 324-154. In fact, the Pace women’s lacrosse team are only one of two undefeated teams in all of NCAA Division II.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for the team and for our entire Pace community who are beaming with Setter pride,” said Pace President Marvin Krislov. “Of course, we hope this is just the start to a long post-season run. We wish them well on Thursday.”

“Winning the NE10 conference championship has always been a huge goal for this program. After falling short last year, we were determined to redeem ourselves in the 2024 spring season,” said Angelina Porcello 24’, 2023 National Player of the Year, of Eastchester, N.Y. “This conference is filled with top teams in the country which makes this title so much more meaningful. Despite our clean record, it hasn’t been an easy road, but the fight and work ethic in this team is what makes it so special and successful. This accomplishment could have never been made without our incredible coaches, alumni, and constant support throughout the season.”

“Winning the conference championship is just the beginning,” said graduate student Sydney Juvelier, an attacker, from Centereach, N.Y. “I know Bentley will be a tough game, but we are confident, and we know we are up to the challenge.”

Tune into the 2024 DII Women's Lacrosse Championship games, access live stats, and available tickets can be purchased online.

About Pace University

Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, School of Education, Sands College of Performing Arts, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.