He traveled by horse-drawn wagon to Beirut, boarded a ship that carried him through Europe, and eventually reached the United States. He settled in Boyne City, Michigan, where the booming lumber industry had created a strong railroad presence. The rail lines were essential for transporting lumber and iron ore, and they offered steady jobs to newly arrived immigrants. Through a network of family connections, he met Jabara’s mother, whose family had settled in North Dakota. After connecting in Minnesota, the pair moved to Michigan and raised seven children.

As Wayne Law’s business curriculum expanded, responding to the needs of Michigan’s growing firms, Schenk’s own courses evolved. Alongside a colleague, he helped develop a Business Planning course designed to equip students with practical tools for the transition into practice. When the American Bar Association later mandated skills training and clinics, he observed how the profession’s expectations shifted back into the law school curriculum—transforming legal education nationwide.

Charles Brower: Before coming to Wayne Law, I was Croft Professor of International Law at the University of Mississippi for fourteen years. Initially, I chose to move to Wayne and to Michigan because I wanted my daughter to live in a community where she would have a wider range of opportunities. Also, I knew Wayne Law was a place that takes both teaching and scholarship seriously. In addition, I was excited to become part of a legal community where I could make a difference, as I have through my work at Miller Canfield.

We celebrate our founding knowing that many Americans have grown so frustrated with our government that they are drawn to the promises of demagogues who would undo much of what our revolution built. Colonial Americans waged war to win their independence because they felt unheard by the British Parliament; many Americans today feel ignored by a Congress that fails to take seriously their problems or its own power. The public’s anger and Congress’ inaction together are a mutually reinforcing threat to our representative democracy.

We want to use Congress 250 to provide information and programing that reminds us of what Congress can accomplish when it accepts the responsibilities and authority it has to represent the interests of the American people. Each Friday we will publish a fact—a “Friday Fact”—about Congress that reminds us of its pivotal importance to our government and our democracy. Congress 250 will also feature panel discussions and other events aimed at illuminating how Congress has evolved from 1774 to the present.

A distinguished municipal law attorney and accomplished public servant, Hamameh brings decades of legal expertise and a strong commitment to the profession to her new role. She began her legal career immediately after graduating from Wayne Law, joining the State Bar of Michigan in 2000. Since then, she has served in leadership and legal advisory roles across numerous municipalities and has been a shareholder at Rosati, Schultz, Joppich & Amtsbuechler.

Hamameh’s leadership reflects the values championed by Wayne State University Law School: dedication to public service, commitment to justice, and service to the community. Her appointment marks another milestone in the law school’s legacy of graduates shaping Michigan’s legal landscape.

Building on that momentum, Wayne Law continued its success on the global stage in Washington, D.C., going 4-0 in the international preliminary rounds against an impressive slate of competitors. Their strong performance advanced them to the highly competitive Round of 64, placing them among the top 55 teams worldwide to reach the elimination stage.

In the knockout rounds, Wayne Law secured a second standout victory over the University of Oxford and advanced to the Round of 32. There, the team faced Ateneo de Manila University in a closely contested match. While their run concluded at that stage, their advancement to the Round of 32 solidified their position among the top-performing teams in the world. Ateneo de Manila University, their final opponent, went to the tournament’s final championship round.

John Obee ‘78 has co-authored his second book on the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, Mississippi’s Black Cotton, published by the University of Georgia Press. The work features an introduction by Nikole Hannah-Jones and continues his scholarship on civil rights history.

Kenneth R. Chadwell ‘86 was named a 2026 Top Lawyer by DBusiness magazine in the area of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Chadwell is an attorney in Plunkett Cooney’s Detroit office.