Inaugural Charles M. Newman Award To Be Presented to Dispute Resolution Leader and John Jay College Professor
1.16.2023
Maria Volpe, a professor of sociology and director of the Dispute Resolution Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice – City University of New York, has been chosen to receive the inaugural Charles M. Newman Award by the Dispute Resolution Section of the New York State Bar Association during its Annual Meeting Jan. 18-24 in New York City.
Volpe is an internationally known scholar who has lectured, researched, and written extensively about dispute resolution.
“It’s hard to imagine another person who has done as much as Maria to bring together so many people with an interest in dispute resolution, and mediation in particular,” said Simeon Baum, the first chair of the association’s Dispute Resolution Section. “Anyone who is active and engaged in the dispute resolution field is aware of Dr. Volpe and her leadership. She is a kind, warm hearted person, who embodies the qualities of generosity of heart identified in the naming of the Charles M. Newman Award.”
Volpe has taught alternative dispute resolution and mediation at CUNY’s John Jay College since 1981, training hundreds of mediators, with a focus on community dispute resolution and community dispute resolution centers.
She mediates conflicts in educational settings, conducts dispute resolution skills training, and administers grant-funded projects. She has created and facilitated town meetings and student discussions among numerous demographic groups at John Jay.
The Charles M. Newman Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the qualities of the award’s namesake: a brilliance of mind and generosity of heart. The recipient is community oriented, creative, selfless, compassionate and a mentor to many and a teacher to all. Newman, who died this past May, was active in the New York State Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Section Executive Committee.
Honoring attorneys who render extraordinary service to the public and the profession is part of NYSBA’s Annual Meeting tradition. The 146th Annual Meeting takes place from Jan. 18 to 24 with in-person events at the New York Hilton Midtown from Jan. 18 to Jan. 21 and virtual sessions Jan. 23 and Jan. 24.
Highlights of the Annual Meeting include the Presidential Summit, “Mental Health and the Justice System: Impacts, Challenges and Potential Solutions,” held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18. The Presidential Gala honoring civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20, at the Rainbow Room. For more information on NYSBA’s Annual Meeting, click here.
