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Mary Hegland

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Mary Hegland

Professor Emerita

Mary Elaine Hegland's field work has been in the Middle East and South Asia: Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. She has also worked among Iranian Americans in the Bay Area of California and involves students in research projects among people of Iranian and other Middle Eastern backgrounds in the Santa Clara area. Dr. Hegland’s publications deal with the Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979; women and gender in religion and politics in Iran; change and continuity in an Iranian village; and women and gender in Shia Muslim rituals in Pakistan. Currently, Dr. Hegland is conducting research about aging and the elderly in Iran and among Iranian Americans in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. She also plans to study women and gender and family hierarchy and dynamics as related to aging and the elderly in Tajikistan. Professor Hegland retired in June 2020.

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In the News

Santa Clara University School of Law students demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to service during the 2024-2025 academic year, contributing a total of 60,932 pro bono hours across all J.D. class years. This spirit of advocacy is particularly evident in the graduating Class of 2025, who dedicated 45,733 hours to the community over the course of their three-year legal education. These milestones were made possible through the leadership of Professor Evangeline Abriel, with the assistance of dedicated faculty and staff. Furthermore, these numbers are a testament to Santa Clara Law students' dedication to using their legal education as a tool for justice and community outreach.

Santa Clara Law's culture of service is also showcased during the annual Pro Bono Week, which offers students many opportunities to engage with local and global issues. Students can participate in human rights advocacy through the Amnesty International Write for Rights event or support local housing initiatives by creating hygiene kits with HomeFirst SCC. Other impactful projects include assembling toiletry bags for St. Vincent de Paul shelters, making blankets for Project Linus, and writing uplifting letters to seniors. From supporting relief efforts in Sudan to participating in community conversations on immigration issues, these initiatives allow students to apply their legal knowledge to real-world needs.

This dedication to pro bono service is rooted in Santa Clara University’s Jesuit values, specifically the call to be men and women “for and with others.” By using their skills to protect the vulnerable and ensure the legal system remains accessible to all, students embody the principles of competence, conscience, and compassion. These 60,932 hours are not just a statistic, but further are a reflection of a community committed to social justice and the common good. 

Samuel Cao '25 recently published his research article, "'The Place of Happiness for the Unclean': Biopolitics, Necropolitics, and the Architecture of Control in Culion" in the Winter 2026 edition of SYNTHESIS.

Prof. Naomi Andrews received the Louis and Dorina Brutocao Award for Teaching Excellence.