To Life!
E N
Life Without Regrets
Ex-high school
athlete makes his
mark at U-M as a
scholar and leader.
Judith Doner Berne
Special to the Jewish News
Ann Arbor
I
s Alex Edelson too young to be consid-
ered a modern Renaissance man?
At 6'3" and wearing a bright red
fleece, the University of Michigan senior
appears to be a familiar figure, greeting a
number of students as he strides across this
maize and blue campus.
Edelson has used his college years to
uncover and actively pursue a wide range
of interests.
The 21-year-old from West Bloomfield
is chief justice for the Central Student
Judiciary — U-M's student court. The judi-
ciary, together with the assembly and exec-
utive committee, make up the Michigan
Student Assembly (MSA). It represents both
graduate and undergraduate students.
"We solely exist to make sure students
get the rights they're entitled to under the
[university] constitution': Edelson says. "We
try to be sensitive to their needs.
"Most of the cases I've sat for aren't sexy,"
he says.
The court, for instance, has no jurisdic-
tion over incidents of student cheating or
infractions involving alcohol or drugs.
Many cases involve elections. The execu-
tive positions and assembly are elected.
The court of 10 justices is appointed. Those
justices then elect a chief judge.
"Student government is really important':
Edelson says. "Active students take cam-
paigning and the opportunity to run very
seriously. Campaigns get really dirty
"We essentially had Bush v. Gore for
the executive positions, including student
body president and vice president': he says.
The case was whether to disenfranchise
the winning party for allegedly jamming
another party's Web site. It settled before
trial.
"It was cool. We're getting a very practical
lesson in informal dispute resolution. You're
working with your peers to see that they're
getting what they're entitled to. It's a unique
position for a student:"
The Vision
Edelson, who in high school captained
the Birmingham Groves soccer team and
kicked for its football team, entered U-M
with dreams of playing Wolverine football.
He competed as a walk-on kicker, but lost
out.
"If he had picked a smaller school, he
would be a college kicker right now," says
Groves football coach Brendan Flaherty.
But, Flaherty says,"Alex wanted U-M. This
guy is one of the top people. When he sees a
challenge he will go non-stop to get it."
"I had this craving for competition':
Edelson agrees. So, yes, he was upset when
he didn't make the team. "But I have this
life mantra: 'Enable yourself to live without
reurets '"
He decided to tackle academics, some-
thing he says he never did in high school.
He earned all As and a B his first semester.
"That's the last B I ever got:"
He double majored in economics and
political science, was admitted early to U-M
Law School and recently was elected to Phi
Beta Kappa national honor society.
He didn't confine himself to studying.
He joined a variety of activities, including
student government, because "I believe in
all of them in principle."
Other involvement
With his background in political science
and economics, Edelson is co-editor-in-
chief of the Michigan Journal of Political
Science. "We are the only political science
journal that exclusively publishes under-
graduate papers and is staffed by under-
graduates," he says.
"Undergraduates do great work, but it's
hard to compete with graduate students. We
are recognized by UNESCO and we distrib-
ute all over the world:"
He's treasurer of Phi Alpha Delta pre-law
fraternity and serves on the student advi-
sory committee for the U-M Career Center.
"It's my hope that our advice helps them
[the career center] more effectively guide
students': he says. "I see too many of my
friends who are clueless and unprepared for
what's coming" after graduation.
He's active with K-grams, the Kids
Programs student-led agency that pairs up
college and elementary school students.
And he does statistics for the U-M hockey
team "just for fun."
"I run on high speed all day': Edelson
says. "It's that adrenalin rush that I used to
get from sports."
What Others Say
Edelson claims that "with 1,300 student
groups on campus, plenty of kids do what
I do:'
Alex Edelson is chief justice for the Central Student Judiciary at the University of
Michigan.
But Marisa Harris, Phi Alpha Delta
president, disagrees. "The difference is that
Alex is at the head of these groups, not just
doing it to put on his resume. If he's in the
group, he's in the group': the U-M senior
from Flint says. "I know of no one else who
exudes his combination of professionalism
and personality"
"Alex is one of the most charismatic,
hardworking and intelligent individu-
als I have ever encountered': echoes Ilya
Podolyako, a West Bloomfield High and
U-M graduate in his first year at Yale Law
School.
They met through Phi Alpha Delta and
became study partners. "Alex is one of the
few students who actively seeks to under-
stand the material taught in a class and
not just get the W," Podolyako says. "He was
always willing to go the extra mile, do the
optional homework sets and stay up an
hour later for the sake of ending up in the
99th percentile of the class as opposed to
the 'unimpressive' 98th."
His mom, Lori Edelson, is proud of her
son. "He's always been very concerned with
doing the right things and taking care of
people': says Lori, a social worker who is
director of the Birmingham Maple Clinic.
"He pays attention to the world around
him."
Robin Edelson, a workers' compensa-
tion attorney, says he was surprised when
his athletically gifted son changed focus.
"Suddenly, there were these grades and
more grades and activities': Robin says.
"He's been very impressive."
Alex's dad is more matter-of-fact about
both of his sons following in his legal foot-
steps. Gabe, 23, graduated U-M and attends
law school at New York University "I don't
care what they do. I want them to be happy':
Robin says.
So Robin never pushed summer school,
suggesting that they take that time to
explore new vistas. Alex interned for then-
Oakland Circuit Judge Deborah Tyner in
2005. Last year, he worked for the American
Chamber of Commerce and RusBrand, an
anti-counterfeiting agency, in Moscow.
He needs just two courses to graduate,
leaving him time for extra pursuits this
semester, such as a mini-career on eBay."I
started selling for myself, stuff I didn't want.
Then I started selling for my mom and then
her friends.
"It's a nice foreshadowing for a legal
career,"Alex says. "You pose [determine]
someone's expectations. It tests your ability
to communicate and predict accurately and
take them through the whole transaction.
People are usually happy."
"I firmly believe Alex is going to do
something special in life;' predicts coach
Flaherty "When he's done with his body of
work, he's going to be a great man:' L
March 22 2007
37