University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Pathway Program was awarded the American Bar Association (ABA) 2024 Alexander Award for Excellence in Pipeline Diversity.
The Alexander Award, named after the life and legacy of two legal trailblazers, Raymond Pace Alexander and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, was created to honor an individual or organization that has demonstrated exemplary leadership and success in building educational pipelines to law school and the legal profession for underrepresented students.
Through the pathway program students receive expert Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) instruction, experience mock classes, and are offered an opportunity to visit the school, meet the dean, and learn more about the admissions process.
Since its inception in 2019, the Bowen Law School Pathway Program has engaged more than 100 students, many of whom have enrolled at Bowen and other law schools throughout the country.
André Cummings, associate dean for faculty development and co-founder of the Bowen Law School Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform, said its pathway program works diligently to ensure that underrepresented Arkansas communities and those that have been historically discriminated against have opportunities that they may not otherwise.
Earlier this year, University of Houston Law Center’s Pre-Law Pipeline Programs received a donation to help cover the preparation costs for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
Suffolk University Law School in Boston has a free, immersive program designed for students considering law school. The program, Summer Pre-law Achievers Network, equips participants who come from diverse or nontraditional backgrounds with the tools to prepare applications to law school and succeed once admitted. Check with the law school for dates and eligibility.
The University of Virginia School of Law is also helping low-income and first-generation law students get a leg up on their studies. The school’s Roadmap Scholars Initiative introduces students to the legal profession while offering financial and counseling support.
Seattle University School of Law received a gift of $5 million in 2022 from the Moccasin Lake Foundation to create a pipeline of graduates to help domestic violence survivors and members of underserved communities across the state.
The application process for Pre-Law Pipeline Programs or Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Programs may open as early as October for next summer with application closing dates in early 2025.
If you are wanting more information on summer pre-law programs, check with the law schools or visit the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website.
