3L Dana Shearer has been selected to receive the inaugural John Goerner L’23 Memorial Scholarship. Goerner passed away in 2021 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer while studying for his J.D. degree in the College’s JDinteractive (JDi) program. To honor his legacy, members of the JDi class of 2023 dedicated their fundraising efforts to establish the John Goerner Scholarship with the intent of supporting JDi students facing demonstrated adversity who nevertheless persevere in their study of law at Syracuse.
At the College of Law, Shearer is a member of the Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society’s Virtual Advocacy Division, the First Generation Law Students Association, and the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
“Following law school, I plan to pursue criminal law. My passion and knack for oral argument have led me to the courtroom as an advocate. I was initially interested in wrongful conviction exoneration but have chosen to pursue the path of prosecution— a mission to do it right rather than make it right. I am still living in the mountains of North Carolina but have felt the tug to explore new possibilities recently. My ties to Asheville dissipate as my stepdaughter, who was by my side through the toughest of times, heads to Duke University this fall on a full scholarship. I am so proud of where she and I have landed in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. Thank you for helping me along my journey in the pursuit of law. And thank you to John for being an inspiration to us all in the pursuit of kindness and generosity,” says Shearer.