Record number of students admitted to selective Law, Justice and Culture Certificate

The Center for Law, Justice and Culture announced that 32 Ohio University students have been admitted to the Undergraduate Certificate in Law, Justice and Culture, 25 to the fall 2022 cohort and seven to the spring 2023 cohort.

This is the ninth year of the selective certificate program, which launched in 2013-14 in the College of Arts and Sciences. The strength of the applicant pool, and next year's fall and spring course offerings, led to the additional cohort selected this year.

"The certificate program brings together interdisciplinary coursework from departments across the social sciences and humanities to provide students with intellectual training with a law and society perspective. It also provides opportunities for faculty mentoring through research projects, internships, study abroad, and career guidance," center director Dr. Julie White said.

All the newly admitted students will take the core course for the certificate, LJC 2000: Core Course in Law, Justice and Culture, with the 2022 cohort taking it in the fall and the 2023 cohort in the spring.

After taking the mandatory seminar, LJC 2000, students are required to take at least one elective course outside of their majors to ensure that they are exposed to interdisciplinary perspectives.

As they proceed through the certificate coursework, students participate in the intellectual life of the Center for Law, Justice and Culture and engage in practice-oriented learning opportunities, such as internships and research projects, all dealing with issues of democratic governance, social justice, and human rights.

The fall 2022 cohort of students in the Law, Justice and Culture certificate program are:

• Carlee Allen, a junior majoring in political science
• Sarah Bender, a junior majoring in psychology and political science pre-law
• Mia Citino, an Honors Tutorial College sophomore majoring in environmental studies
• Emmalee Clark, a sophomore majoring in political science
• Maddie Denny, a sophomore majoring in political science and sociology pre-law
• Dasia Dewberry, a sophomore majoring in political science and Spanish
• Emma Diehl, a first-year majoring in English pre-law
• Hannah Fleming, an Honors Tutorial College junior majoring in political science
• Hayley Getz, a junior majoring in sociology-criminology
• Hannah Hartman, a junior majoring in political science pre-law
• Lauren Homa, a junior majoring in political science
• Hannah Louck, a sophomore majoring in history pre-law and sociology
• Jaydan Jackson, a sophomore majoring in sociology-criminology and political science pre-law
• Nick Mamula, a sophomore majoring in business pre-law and business management and strategic leadership
• Kendra Mckitrick, an Honors Tutorial College sophomore majoring in geography
• Hannah Morrow, a sophomore majoring in environmental geography pre-law
• Savannah Okray, a junior majoring in journalism – news and information
• Casey Patterson, a sophomore majoring in political science pre-law
• Colin Schilf, an Honors Tutorial College sophomore majoring in physics
• Graham Stark, a junior majoring in history and political science pre-law
• Cirus Stowe, a junior majoring in Spanish
• Larissa Strong, a sophomore majoring in political science pre-law
• Megan Taylor, a sophomore majoring in history pre-law
• Audri Wilde, a junior majoring in journalism – news and information
• Annie Wimsatt, a sophomore majoring in political science

The seven students in the spring 2023 cohort are:

• Victoria Copeland, a first-year majoring in political science
• Carlene Edmonds, a first-year majoring in English pre-law and sociology-criminology
• Eva Grace, a first-year majoring in political science pre-law
• Ava Hamilton, a first-year majoring in political science
• Leighton Heiner, a first-year majoring in philosophy pre-law
• Riley Sargent, a first-year majoring in political science
• Taylor Schneider, an Honors Tutorial College first-year majoring in communications studies

A few of the selected students are also part of the Law, Justice and Culture Early Assurance Program, and others were drawn to the certificate program after attending the spring break study abroad program ANTH 4620: Human Rights, Law and Justice in Northern Ireland, taught by the center's graduate director, Dr. Haley Duschinski. Others have been active in other center activities such as the Ohio University Mock Trial Team led by Larry Hayman, Esq.

Enrollment in the certificate program is a competitive process modeled after selection for law and graduate schools, and eligible students should have an overall GPA of 3.4 or above. Students are asked to submit a statement of intent, as well as a current transcript when they apply. Those who do not meet the GPA requirement may submit an optional essay explaining their qualifications. The next application cycle will be held in fall 2022.

The program is appropriate for students who plan to pursue professions in law, rights advocacy, justice administration, public policy, government, nonprofit organizations, and academic research and teaching.