When DePaul University College of Law graduates are awarded their diplomas June 14 their futures will be as varied as their experiences have been. Here are three possible stories:

Graduate wants to be an example to African-American community

DeJuan Bouvean (Boo-VEE-an), was born in Indianapolis and never left Indiana. A high school dropout who resumed classes a short time later, Bouvean was raised in a matriarchal household where he often cared for his younger cousins.

Now living in Hammond and attending the College of Law, Bouvean said, "I like school. I want to be a role model for younger African-American males. I come from a poor neighborhood, and I know what that is like. There aren’t any role models, especially for black males. You will find in my community it is not cool to be smart. People think something is wrong with you--that you’ve got to be strange. African-American women can be smart, but African-American men can’t."

Bouvean said his life will be what he makes it. "I am going to do something with my life. Really, it’s up to you. If you want to make it, someone is out there to help you." Bouvean attended Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. He majored in telecommunications and minored in philosophy. He then earned a master’s degree in information communication. Bouvean hopes to attend Columbia University this fall to work on another master’s degree in liberal studies.

To contact Bouvean call him at 219/937-5950.

June law graduate fights the system and wins.

Todd Pugh of Delray Beach, Fla., had an experience in law school that most lawyers never have. Pugh was part of the legal team that defended former death row inmate Rolando Cruz. "It was great," said Pugh. "Everything that could be involved in a high publicity case was there. It was a very compelling case."

Pugh worked for a large firm last summer, but decided that his passion was for trial work. "Criminal law deals with people, unlike corporate law which deals with money. There is a human side to it." He spent a lot of time with Cruz and likes him very much. "There is nothing as stressful as representing an innocent person who is facing execution. The stakes are as high as they can get."

Pugh will join the firm of Martin, Breen & Merrick in Oak Park after he graduates. Pugh will graduate in the upper 10% of his class. He is president and founding member of the Criminal Law Society of DePaul.

He can be reached at 773/472-0636.

LaGrange couple graduates together this June.

Christopher and Patricia Dalki will walk down the aisle again together in June, but this time it will be to get their DePaul College of Law diplomas. They were married six years ago, and for Patricia it seems longer--perhaps because of their grueling schedule. Both worked full-time while going to night school for four years in a journey that began as a dare. Christopher decided to attend law school, and Patricia was bored and decided to go back to school also. Christopher dared Patricia to take the LSAT examination. She took up that dare, and passed. Patricia said that they would do it again.

"It was nice to have a study partner," she said, "but little things slipped, like housework." Patricia said their schedules worked because they had an equitable agreement on how to share their work, school, study and family responsibilities. They staggered their school and study time." According to Christopher, "We did it with a lot of time management."

As a further challenge, 16 months ago they had a son, Joshua. "People told us one of us would have to quit school," Patricia said. "We picked our classes based on who could be at home." They were tired, but stuck with it. One sad note, however; their main supporter and babysitter, Christopher’s mom, Nancy J. Dalki of Brookfield, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in January. It cast a pall over their joy at finishing school, and it has been their biggest challenge as they work on her estate.

Patricia will continue working with MCI Telecommunications Corp. as an attorney in law and public policy, pursuing her interest in corporate law. Christopher is a law clerk with Burditt & Radzius, working on product liability issues. Patricia was on the Law Review, and both have done very well academically.

The Dalkis can be reached in LaGrange at 708/579-1415.