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