Young Alumnus Achievement Award
Honors an alumnus' significant contributions to church, vocation, and community.

2003 Recipient
J. Welby Leaman '93

A graduate of Yale Law School, J. Welby Leaman '93, began his career by working for a prestigious Washington, D.C. law firm. After a few years, he decided to pursue God's calling for public reform in Latin America. Leaman currently resides in Lima, Peru, working as an independent consultant, collaborating with Latin American governments to create or restructure their governmental law-enforcement agencies. Most recently, Leaman assisted the reform of Peru's commercial and criminal justice system, a project subsidized by a $4 million U.S. grant. He has also served as a consultant at venues such as Venezuela, Argentina, and Texas, where he advised the international affairs component of now-Senator John Cornyn's (R) 2002 election campaign.

In the midst of maintaining a schedule in which projects rarely last more than a few months, Leaman maintains a deep faith commitment. He often talks of how a Christian needs to lead a life that would make no sense if God did not exist, says his sister, Tashya Leaman '97, who nominated him for the Young Alumnus Award. He maintains membership at Stumptown Mennonite Church in Lancaster, where his parents, John and Nancy, are also members.