HOUSTON, June 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Class is in
session for the University of Houston
Law Center's Pre-Law Pipeline Program, with 42 undergraduate
students from across the nation currently receiving faculty
instruction in typical first-year law courses.
The eight-week summer course is designed to increase diversity
among law school applicants and to provide students from
low-income, first generation, and underrepresented backgrounds an
opportunity to seriously consider a legal education. The program
divides students into two tracks — LSAC's DiscoverLaw.Org Prelaw
Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program and Scholar II.
The program, now in its fifth year, began with a generous
financial investment from Paula Myrick
Short, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and
provost. It was established by Law Center Dean Leonard M. Baynes and Program Director
Kristen Guiseppi. Professor
Meredith J. Duncan, director of
Metropolitan Programs and the George Butler Research Professor of
Law, oversees the program.
"I applaud Dean Baynes' efforts
to develop and execute this program at UH," Short said. "The
demographics of our student population truly reflect the diversity
of our city, and I am delighted to see that Dean Baynes has taken that approach towards
changing the demographics of the legal profession."
"I am delighted to welcome the fifth year of pipeline students,"
Baynes added. "The program has produced 40 students who have been
accepted to law schools throughout the nation. Students who
participate in the program have seen their LSAT scores increase on
average by up to 12 points. It is a program that has made a huge
difference in the lives of students interested in going to law
school. Many thanks to the Provost for early financial support of
the program and Kristen Guiseppi and
Meredith Duncan for their leadership
in running the Program."
Students in the PLUS Program start with five weeks of classroom
instruction including three weeks of first, second and third-year
law school class instruction taught by Law Center faculty, legal
writing and research training, and trial advocacy sessions. Each
scholar then has a three-week internship with a variety of law
firms and legal organizations in the area.
Scholar II students study a comprehensive LSAT-focused
curriculum to develop a strong foundation of LSAT basics, and build
upon it throughout the remainder of the program. They also
participate in one-on-one personal statement, diversity statement
and resume workshops.
"As we kick off our fifth year, we continue to celebrate our
past and present scholars whose participation helped shape this
award-winning program," Guiseppi said. "This year, we had our
largest applicant pool making the admission process exceedingly
competitive. We are delighted to welcome our 2019 cohort of
aspiring lawyers whose grit and resilience have made them such
amazing and inspiring young leaders.
"Every year, our students demonstrate the ability to adapt to
the program's rigorous, fast-paced curriculum and this year is no
different. Our scholars are committed, invested, and eager to soak
up all of the information and knowledge shared by our teaching
faculty, mentors, law school students, practicing attorneys, and
other members of the legal community. I am thankful for the
continued support of our sponsors and legal community, and looking
forward to another fantastic summer."
"We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding students to the
fifth year of our Pre-Law Pipeline Program," Duncan said. "Helping
these students change their lives is extraordinarily
rewarding. It is a privilege to partner with such talented
students as they embark upon this important journey in their
lives."
Twenty-eight colleges are represented in the 2019 class. They
include:
- Alrbight College
- Alcorn State University
- University of California
Riverside
- Claflin University
- College of the Sequioas
- Dillard University
- Houston Baptist University
- Idaho State University
- Iowa State University
- John Jay College of Criminal
Justice
- Morehouse College
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical
State University
- Prairie View A&M
University
- Rice University
- Saint Leo University
- Southwestern University
- Spelman University
- St. John's University
- St. Mary's University
- Temple University
- Texas A&M University
- Texas A&M International
University
- Texas Christian University
- Tougaloo College
- University of Houston
- University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Texas at
Arlington
In January, the Pre-Law Pipeline Program was honored by the
American Bar Association's Council for Diversity in the Education
Pipeline with the Raymond Pace and Sadie
Tanner Mossell Alexander Award for Excellence in Pipeline
Diversity.
For three consecutive years, the Law Center has received the
Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from "INSIGHT Into
Diversity" magazine. The publication cited the Pre-Law Pipeline
Program as a key reason for the recognition.
Media contacts: Carrie Anna Criado, UH Law Center
Assistant Dean of Communications and Marketing,
713-743-2184, cacriado@central.uh.edu; Elena Hawthorne, Assistant Director of
Communications and Marketing,
713-743-1125, ehawthor@central.uh.edu; John T. Kling, Communications Manager,
713-743-8298, jtkling@central.uh.edu; and John Brannen, Senior Writer,
713-743-3055, jtbranne@central.uh.edu.
About the University of
Houston
The University
of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public
research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for
excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally
competitive Houston and Gulf Coast
Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and
strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's
fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and
culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally
designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with
enrollment of more than 46,000 students.
About the University of Houston
Law Center
The University of
Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top tier
law school located in the nation's 4th largest city. UHLC's Health
Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Part-time programs rank in the
U.S. News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and
Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the
College of Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It
is a powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 11
centers and institutes which fuel its educational mission and
national reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar
Association and is a member of the Association of American Law
Schools.
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SOURCE University of Houston Law
Center