Davey said that most of his classmates have reacted very positively towards his legal effort.

“Certainly there are people who disagree with me,” he said, “but at least they’re excited about the issue.”

Davey said he enjoys having a chance to plead his case to the public.

“It’s great to be able to get to address the media because I think it is such an important issue,” he said. “I really think this will have popular support.”

With so much attention suddenly thrown his way, Davey admits the case is a distraction from his workload—“but certainly a worthwhile one.”

Nonetheless, many HLS professors have chosen to play down Davey’s celebrity status.

“We have a lot of celebrities. They’ve been in the NBA; we had a guy who was on Survivor. I don’t think it makes a whole lot of a difference,” Field said.

“For a few days at least Davey will have celebrity status with students, and certainly every professor probably knows his name,” said Professor Richard Fallon, though he stressed that Davey would not be treated differently in the classroom.

However, at least one professor found the presence of Davey on campus intriguing.

Volokh, whose expertise lies in Church-State relations, said he looks forward to meeting and discussing the case with Davey, whom he jokingly called “Harvard Law School’s Supreme Court celebrity.”

Amidst all the attention, Davey remains optimistic that within the courtroom itself, his side will emerge victorious.

“I’m definitely confident. I think we have a great case,” he said, predicting that the justices’ decision will be a close one—almost certainly 5-4.

But Davey said the significance of his suit lies in the legal precedent a victory would set, not in any measure of personal glory.

“I think it’s a basic discrimination issue,” he said of the case. “The only criteria they’re using to deny the funding is the religious criteria, and religious discrimination can’t be allowed.”

Besides, Davey said, victory would not bring him much in the way of personal benefit.

“If I win I will get about $1,500 plus interest,” he joked. “Though with the economy as of late, [the interest] won’t be a lot.”