The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law has selected the inaugural Frank Winston Public Interest and Business Law Fellows. This is Winston Law’s signature scholarship program and is designed to attract exceptional students committed to serving the public good in the areas of public interest law and business law.
Made possible through a transformational gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, the Frank Winston Fellows program honors the legacy of Frank Winston (’52), a distinguished Winston Law alumnus known for his leadership, moral character, integrity, humility, and powerful commitment to serving the public good. The fellowships are awarded to students who have likewise demonstrated these same exemplary leadership and personal qualities.
The program includes two distinct tracks: Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows and Frank Winston Business Law Fellows. Fellows receive full tuition and fees, a generous annual stipend, summer internship funding, faculty mentorship, research opportunities, personalized career advising, and access to a variety of academic professional development programming.
“The Winston Fellows program is modeled after other notable, longstanding scholarship programs such as Emory’s Robert W. Woodruff Scholars and Fellows Program and NYU’s Root-Tilden-Kern Scholars Program,” noted Lonnie T. Brown, Jr., dean, Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law, and Haslam Family Professor. “The outstanding students selected for these fellowships will enrich the Winston Law community, as well as the profession, through their embodiment of the attributes and values of the program’s namesake, Frank Winston.”
Selection for the Winston Fellows program is highly competitive. For the 2025–2026 academic year, selection committees comprised of faculty, alumni, and current Winston Law students reviewed applications and interviewed finalists. The inaugural cohort includes fellows from the Winston Law classes of 2027 and 2028, as well as the incoming class of 2029.
Meet the Frank Winston Fellows
3L Fellows
Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows
Zack Hodgson
Hometown: Provo, Utah
Education: Brigham Young University, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
Area of Interest: Constitutional Law and Public Service
Lacey Hunter
Hometown: Sevierville, Tennessee
Education: Maryville College, Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science
Area of Interest: Criminal Law and Public Service
Stef Urdaneta
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Education: Florida International University, Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science and International Relations
Area of Interest: Public Defense and Pro Bono Service
Frank Winston Business Law Fellows
Paul Arrowood
Hometown: Johnson City, Tennessee
Education: East Tennessee State University, Bachelor’s Degree in Economics
Area of Interest: Real Estate and Corporate Law
Sydney Kirk
Hometown: Bristol, Tennessee
Education: University of Tennessee, Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education; Master’s Degree in Teacher Education
Area of Interest: Business Law
Dimend Little
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Education: Middle Tennessee State University, Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations
Area of Interest: Tax Policy and Community Development
Scottie O’Bryan
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Education: Virginia Commonwealth University, Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
Area of Interest: Transactional Law
2L Fellows
Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows
Connor Catlett
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Education: University of Arizona, Bachelor’s Degree in English
Area of Interest: Educational Equity and Justice Reform
Ninivet Ossa
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Education: Belmont University, Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies
Area of Interest: Immigration and Client Advocacy
Finn Vickrey
Hometown: Boone, North Carolina
Education: Sewanee, Bachelor’s Degree in Environment & Sustainability and English
Area of Interest: Environmental Regulatory Law
Frank Winston Business Law Fellows
Elisha Beason
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Education: University of Alabama, Bachelor’s Degree in Business
Area of Interest: Commercial and Residential Real Estate Law
Saiid Lewis
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Education: Nashville State Community College, Associate’s Degree in Business; Middle Tennessee State University, Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce
Area of Interest: Corporate Litigation and Transactional Law
Shelby Maier
Hometown: San Diego, California
Education: Furman University, Bachelor’s Degree in Physics
Area of Interest: Intellectual Property Law
1L Fellows
Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows
Angelina Harris
Hometown: Union, Kentucky
Education: United States Air Force Academy, Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies
Area of Interest: Military and National Security Law
Amelia Hart
Hometown: Paris, Tennessee
Education: East Tennessee State University, Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy
Area of Interest: Children’s Rights Advocacy
Frank Winston Business Law Fellows
Christina Lam
Hometown: Auburn, Alabama
Education: Auburn University, Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
Area of Interest: Business Law and Community Economic Development
Micah Owens
Hometown: Cookeville, Tennessee
Education: University of Tennessee, Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering
Area of Interest: Business Law
Christian Pontaoe
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Education: Vanderbilt University, Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science and Economics
Area of Interest: Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions
Charlie Sullivan
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland and Charlottesville, Virginia
Education: University of Virginia, Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and Bioethics
Area of Interest: Business and Regulatory Law