Seton Hall University – First Annual “Men of SHU Law Calendar”

Formed only a year ago by Amy Cattafi and two other students (now alumni of the university), the Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter is a relatively new chapter. The group was the first of its kind for the school, but has been quite successful in recruiting members and organizing events.

On February 14, 2008, the Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter introduced their first annual Men of SHU Law Calendar. The calendar consisted of 12 second and third year male students at the school posing (fully clothed of course!) with their companion animals. 

Not all of the students featured had companion animals, though – that’s where many of the Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter members stepped up and graciously provided their companion animals for the photo shoots! Even the dean of the law school, Dean Hobbs, agreed to be on the cover with his dog.

The Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter put together a release party for the calendar, hoping to garner more sales. Almost all of the featured students came, and were present to sign autographs on their month. The event was a great success, raising almost $1,100 in the first day of sales alone. The Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter will be donating most of the proceeds from the calendar sales to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, a “non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to alleviating the suffering and neglect of companion animals, and providing services that support the human-animal bond.”

The Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter did everything it could to keep production costs for the calendar as low as possible so as to make this a truly charitable endeavor. The organization was lucky enough to find a fantastic photographer, Michele Austin, among the third year population at the school. Michele was amazingly altruistic in donating her time and talent to photograph all of the men. 

The organization also worked closely with a local printer who, because of their pre-existing relationship with the law school, was able to give the Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter a terrific price on having the calendars printed. The project could not have come to fruition, however, without the generosity of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, which contributed a grant to help fund the calendar.

This was a really fun event for everyone that was involved, and it helped to bring the Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter into the spotlight, and hopefully increase awareness for how important our cause is.

For more information, please visit  Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter website or contact cattafam@shu.edu.

This spotlight was submitted by Amy Cattafi, president of the Seton Hall Law Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter.