#loveislight
the daniel anderl
protection project
endowed scholarship
The Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project’s mission is to further the safety, security and privacy of members of the judicial community and their families.
Additionally, the Project provides educational scholarships to students studying Criminal Justice to honor the memory of Daniel.
North Brunswick native Daniel Anderl had a passion for sports but was committed to following in his parents’ footsteps and becoming a lawyer.
Daniel’s baseball coach described him as the ultimate teammate, always prepared, always showing up with energy. And Daniel’s talent was promising. But, after graduating from St. Joseph High School in Metuchen in 2018, he chose not to participate in college sports. Instead, he focused on his dream to become an attorney.
Daniel attended The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. His parents, defense attorney Mark Anderl and U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, remained as involved in his life as ever. Classmates say they never met a kid who spoke more highly of his folks. Daniel’s mom and his dad were his best friends in the world, and he would let you know that.
Daniel was also someone his friends could count on. They remember him as the person who hopped on his electric skateboard – in his pajamas – at 2:00 in the morning to kill a bug in their room because they called and asked. They also fondly recall the Dan who danced in the rain and how that perfectly encapsulated his character.
In July 2020, an armed assailant targeting Judge Salas showed up at the family’s home and murdered her beloved 20-year-old Daniel, and shot and severely wounded her husband Mark. Daniel died a hero after taking a bullet to his chest trying to protect his parents.
After witnessing the killing of her only child at the hands of what turned out to be an aggrieved former litigant, Judge Salas went on a mission to ensure her son’s murder was not in vain.
That journey hit a milestone when the NJ Congress passed a law named after Daniel. “Daniel’s Law” protects active or retired judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and their immediate family members by safeguarding their personally identifiable information.
Friends of Judge Salas and her husband Mark Anderl created a foundation in Daniel’s name, the Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project.
The Project’s mission is to further the safety, security and privacy of members of the judicial community and their families.
Additionally, it provides educational scholarships to support students working to further the Protection Project’s mission, including those pursuing professions in legal advocacy and law enforcement.
scholarship details
and eligibility
The School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers-Newark is honored to have been chosen to award The Daniel Anderl Protection Project Endowed Scholarship.
The scholarship is open to full-time undergraduate students who are enrolled as a criminal justice or justice studies major in the SCJ. The award is merit-based. We consider a student’s academic credentials at the time of application, within the context of the admitted student pool during a given year.
Award Requirements
Award recipients must maintain their full-time status and remain a SCJ major.
Amount of Award
In 2024-25, we expect to award two scholarships of $2,500 each.
Deadline for Application
October 4, 2024.
Administration of the Award
Send your application by email to Assistant Dean Christal Harry at charry@scj.rutgers.edu with the Subject Line: Daniel Anderl Endowed Scholarship. Include as attachments your application letter in which you describe your academic credentials and suitability for the award (500 words maximum), and any relevant documents (e.g., academic transcripts).
Award Winners
Meet 2024 Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project Endowed Scholarship winners Obai Ahmed and Jordan Barge.
For More Information
For more information about the Daniel Anderl Protection Project Endowed Scholarship, please contact Assistant Dean Christal Harry at charry@scj.rutgers.edu.