Former Danville Student Leader Honored With Prestigious Fellowship

DANVILLE, CA — Danville resident and community leader Turner Stanton was recently inducted into the Tony Patiño Fellowship, a selective scholarship program for law students that recognizes academic excellence, leadership, public service, and personal character.

“Giving back to my fellow students and my community is my passion,” he said.

The fellowship awards $17,500 per year in scholarship funding, and up to $52,500 over three years. It is available to up to three students per year at Columbia Law School, the University of Chicago Law School, and UC College of the Law, San Francisco. The program said it receives approximately 150 applications per year.

Stanton, a graduate of San Ramon Valley High School, was formally inducted at a Sept. 27 ceremony in Chicago after earning a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School and a Master of Business Administration from the university’s Booth School of Business. Fellowship recipients are initially selected before beginning law school, and formally inducted after graduating and completing the program’s requirements.

At the ceremony, Stanton spoke about how his time at Danville schools and holding leadership positions across the town helped shape his spirit of service.

Stanton’s career in service dates back to Charlotte Wood Middle School, when he was elected as Associated Student Body President after campaigning to bring back a popular school lunch cookie, which he succeeded in doing. He was named ASB President at SRVHS a few years later, then served as a number of roles, including:

• Town of Danville Parks & Leisure Services Commissioner, Youth
• Hot Summer Sundays Car Show Street Captain
• Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador
• Eugene O'Neill Foundation Board Member

He also received the Michael K. Shimansky Community Service Award in 2011, and ran for Danville Town Council in 2020.