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| APAAC Aspiring Prosecutor Scholarship |
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APAAC is pleased to offer an annual scholarship to a student at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University who aspires to be an Arizona prosecutor and demonstrates financial need. An initial financial contribution from the Polk family in collaboration with the Arizona Community Foundation will present the scholarship recipient with a onetime scholarship of approximately $2,500. The following guidelines for the Scholarship award shall apply:
Click here to download the Aspiring Prosecutor Application Form: Aspiring Prosecutor Application Form
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| Aspiring Prosecutor Scholarship Recipients | |
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Regan Lewis earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Law, Rights and Justice at Northern Arizona University. Since childhood, she always had a dream of going to law school. Ms. Lewis learned more about law school throughout her undergraduate studies, as well as internship opportunities at Northern Arizona University. While working as an intern at Griffen and Stevens law firm, becoming a prosecutor became a solidified goal. Assisting defense attorneys and meeting clients brought awareness of the intricacies of the criminal justice system, and the influence of prosecutors to make a real difference in the criminal justice system in a positive way. Ms. Lewis is currently a first-year law student and has the privilege of working at the Maricopa County Attorney’s office as a summer 2024 intern.
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Sophia Petrillo |
Sophia Petrillo is currently a 2L at Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Ms. Petrillo obtained her undergraduate degree at Arizona State University in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. It was through these studies that Ms. Petrillo knew criminal law was her career path. During her undergraduate studies, Ms. Petrillo interned as a Victim Advocate in the sex crimes bureau at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where she learned that prosecution was in her future. Ms. Petrillo was able to accompany victims to court every week and communicate with the prosecutors often; a fulfilling experience that again solidified her passion for justice. While a student at ASU College of Law, Ms. Petrillo had the privilege of working at the Pima County Attorney’s Office and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office as a criminal law clerk, where she gained extensive knowledge about legal research and writing, along with having the opportunity to speak in court under Rule 39(c). This experience fueled her passion for becoming a sex crimes prosecutor and helped her learn how to be an advocate for justice.
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Damien Chase Styles |
Damien Chase Styles earned his bachelor's degrees in both Criminology and Psychology at Arizona State University. Since he was young, he dreamed of being a prosecutor. He structured his undergraduate studies to help build skills he believed would make him excel in this job. In addition, before entering law school, Mr. Styles volunteered and worked for Mesa Prosecutor's Office. This work helped him solidify his resolve towards becoming a prosecutor. Mr. Styles is currently a first-year law student at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. |
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Katarina Araceli Hernández |
Katarina Araceli Hernández earned her bachelor’s degree in criminology at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. Katarina focused her undergraduate coursework on victimology and sociology with an emphasis on sexual violence studies. During her senior year, Katarina created an on-campus program primarily aimed at sexual violence prevention and survivor assistance. Conducting this study encouraged Katarina to pursue law and work toward a career in which she could make an impact on survivors of sexual assault. Katarina began her legal studies at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in Fall 2019. During her second year of law school, Katarina externed at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in the Sex Crimes Bureau. This experience made her certain that she wanted to pursue a career as a prosecutor, specifically prosecuting cases involving child sex crimes and human trafficking. Katarina is currently a third-year law student and has held positions at the Maricopa County Superior Court, Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, currently serves as the Managing Editor for the Law Journal for Social Justice and will be externing at the Arizona Supreme Court this fall. Aside from her legal studies, Katarina is also a musician and hopes to continue performing throughout her legal career.
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Sarah Beene Ericksen, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a minor in Politics from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. Before entering law school, Ms. Ericksen worked as an intern at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. At this internship, she became interested in pursuing a career as a prosecutor with an emphasis in prosecuting sex crimes and human trafficking crimes. Ms. Ericksen is currently a third-year law student at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. During her law school career, Ms. Ericksen has worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. District Court. Ms. Ericksen is a Senior Article Editor for the Arizona State Sports and Entertainment Law Journal and is a board member of the ASU Sports Law and Business Organization. Outside of school and work, Ms. Ericksen enjoys cooking, practicing yoga, and wine tasting with her husband, Scott.
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