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John Michael Windham

Biography

Profile: Back in 2008 as John Windham was winding up his academic career at Pima Community College in his hometown of Tucson things that would positively impact his future started falling into place.  First he won a national essay competition, the subject being the importance of community college students transferring to four-year institutions and then, as icing on the cake, the Foundation awarded him a scholarship so he could move on to the next phase of his life.  And move on John did, to the University of Tampa, where he graduated with honors in a pre-law curriculum.  John’s goal is to change health care law and to advocate for those who can’t afford to keep themselves and their families healthy. His dedication to this cause is personal ... and financial.  An emergency sent John to the hospital one night when he was younger when he was delivering pizzas as a part-time job.  When he left the hospital he was presented with an astronomical bill.  Paying off the bill delayed his academic career, but it also provided him with a personal goal to change the way healthcare in America is administered.

Inspiration:  At the University of Tampa, John was fortunate to take a class and develop a friendship with Dr. Alisa Smith, a professor specializing in criminal law and appellate advocacy.  “Dr. Smith helped me to realize my ability to deliver oral arguments, and opened up the world of Appellate Law as something distinct and better suited to my strengths than Trial Law. Her guidance has shaped the way I read caselaw and helped focus my career goals once I obtain my J.D.”

Aspiration:  John’s goal hasn’t changed since he was awarded the Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship in 2009.  He wants to become an attorney and advocate for the rights of the underserved to receive quality healthcare.  Or, as John succinctly puts it:  “I want to help improve the lives of patients through the law.”

Making a Difference: During the summer of 2011, John opened a law clinic in Nangodi, Ghana. Working with a University of Tampa professor, another UT student and a Harvard Law graduate from Ghana, the legal quartet provide law resources to villagers in the Nabdam district. “While there, I provided Ghanaian law books to a community library, gave speeches at the local junior and senior high on how to pursue a law degree in Ghana, set up skits with local students to inform the community about some constitutional rights they were previously unaware of, and worked with a lawyer from the Human Rights Office in a nearby major city to provide free legal services to the villagers if their rights had been violated.”

Accolades: These are just a few of John’s honors: He was named Distinguished Government and World Affairs Graduate Student (given to the top graduating student in the major at the University of Tampa); Received the Outstanding Honors Student Award (for achieving a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. on all class work attempted at the University of Tampa); Awarded an Honors Study Abroad Scholarship (to attend Oxford University in England).

Interesting Fact: John writes and performs “slam poetry.” Simply put, slam poetry is the competitive art of performance poetry.  It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they’re saying and how they’re saying it.

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