My name is Ari Schaffer, and I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Government & Politics.
As an undergraduate student, I became involved with Justice for Fraud Victims (JFV), where I developed an interest in criminal behavior. The nonprofit organization provides free assistance to individuals who have experienced financial crimes by preparing detailed reports for use in grand jury proceedings. I began as a Senior Analyst and later served as President of JFV, gaining insight into the circumstances and motivations that drive fraudulent conduct.
In addition to my work with JFV, I served as Director of Recruitment for The Pride of Maryland Athletics, an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for Dr. Sujith Kumar's GVPT241: The Study of Political Philosophy: Ancient and Modern, a Student Representative on the Carillon Communities Council, and a member of both the University of Maryland Club Swim Team and Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
I have also completed legal internships with two New Jersey-based law firms. At Lavery, Selvaggi & Cohen, P.C., I streamlined case coordination and gained experience with trusts and estates procedures. At Margolin & Neuner, I revised salary arbitration briefs prepared on behalf of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and drafted legal documents for family law matters.
Now, I aim to examine the socioeconomic and decision-making factors behind financial fraud through the Master of Science in Criminology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Understanding these dynamics is valuable for a future career in law, where I can use empirical evidence to advocate for vulnerable populations.