WMU-Cooley Graduate Daniel Cardwell Named International Graduate of the Year

WMU-Cooley Law School graduate Daniel Cardwell has been named the 2023 International Graduate of the Year by the International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi.

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Law students from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, and Poland compete for this recognition, which is the society's highest award given to one graduate each year. The award recognizes outstanding academic achievements, dedication to professional service, and overall merit.

“Being selected as the 2023 International Graduate of the Year for Phi Delta Phi is an incredible recognition,” said Cardwell. “My goal is to consistently compete with myself for personal improvement, and it is truly an honor to see daily, consistent efforts accumulate into this recognition.”

Cardwell’s notable achievements, which contributed to him receiving the honor, include: graduating ninth in his class at WMU-Cooley, winning national recognition and publication for his contribution to the Judge Constance Baker Motley DEI Essay Competition, winning the 2021 Staying in the Game Essay Competition, both sponsored by the Federal Bar Association; serving as chair of the Professional Values Committee for the Association of College & Research Libraries; and interning at the Department of Justice, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the Second District Court of Appeal for Florida. He also serves as an adjunct professor of English and tutored students at the Academic Success Center at Hillsborough Community College’s Brandon Campus.

Additionally, Cardwell received the Society of Scholars Scholarship through the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. He completed the Business Transaction Concentration, earning elective credits in bankruptcy law, taxation of business entities, securities regulation, and UCC Article III negotiable instruments. He was the clerk and 2022 Convention Delegate for the Janet Reno Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta.

Cardwell received a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, and Master of Arts degrees from the University of South Florida and a Master of Arts degree from Northern Arizona University.