Prelaw Team: Purpose, Players, and a Playbook FT,RT 2009-10-01 2:00:00 PM - 3:00:00 PM Grand Hyatt- Lone Star Ballroom D Is your program a playground or a professional sporting arena? Imagine: employing a team of students volunteers to leading their peers. Consider: aggressively communicating the program's learning objectives so these high-achieving students are more inclined to take ownership, develop valuable professional skills, and become ambassadors to involve more of their own peers? Contemplate: leveraging others university professionals who may be unaware that your success encourages their success? This exciting approach has integrated students, external stakeholders, and our existing professional advising staff into one coherent team with a unified vision and plan of action. Topics: roles and responsibilities, assessable learning objectives, the plan of implementation we used to arrive at this point, and discussion of your own successes and ideas for a winning program.

1. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITYPrelaw Program Prelaw Team: Purpose, Players, & a Playbook Concurrent 101 Joshua BarronTexas Tech University for 2009 NACADA Annual Conference on Thursday, October 1, 2009 – 2:00- 3:00pm In the Grand Hyatt – Level 2, Lone Star Ballroom D

2. Why is there a Prelaw Advising Program @ TTU? MISSION The TTU Prelaw Program exists to engage, equip, empower and encourage students to explore and excel in the pursuit of a legal education. Student Learning Outcomes: Equip, Empower, Explore, and Excel Program Outcomes: Engage and Encourage

3. What does that mean, really? The TTU Prelaw Program is a structured four-year program that prepares undergraduate students to be exceptional applicants to a school of law. Students who choose to participate in the TTU Prelaw Program will focus on the three essential areas identified by law school professionals nationwide: Writing and speaking with comprehension and clarity Understanding social institutions and human nature Thinking creatively and analytically

4. What is Prelaw Advising, exactly? Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses Considering and Planning for the Future Providing Resources & Learning Experiences

5. What is Prelaw Advising, exactly? Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses Prelaw advisors meet with Prelaw students individually from the beginning semester and throughout their academic careers. Together they form a long-range plan that takes into account the unique strengths and interests of each student. Students work closely with Prelaw advisors and the advisor in their major to make sure that the classes the student selects will develop the competencies necessary for law study. Considering and Planning for the Future Providing Resources & Learning Experiences

6. What is Prelaw Advising, exactly? Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses Considering and Planning for the Future Prelaw advisors work individually with students to help them select law schools or identify related careers and alternatives to a law career. Meeting in groups, they plan application strategies, prepare for the Law School Admissions Test, work on drafting personal statements, and formulate goals for law school scholarships and financial aid. Providing Resources & Learning Experiences

7. What is Prelaw Advising, exactly? Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses Considering and Planning for the Future Providing Resources & Learning Experiences The Prelaw office is a resource center providing information about every accredited law program in the country. The office provides a calendar for group meetings that give supplemental information about preparing for a law career. Each semester, sessions are offered to help students prepare for the Law School Admissions Test. Through Prelaw events and meetings, students have an opportunity to talk with visiting representatives of law schools.

8. What does the TTU Prelaw Program offer? Access to Prelaw Advisors… who will connect students with resources for further preparation Access to Prelaw Program Assistants and Ambassadors… who have excelled academically and are trained to share their experiences Informational Prelaw Sessions… to introduce available resources and aid in students’ understanding of the process Academic Encouragement and Support… workshops and study sessions to give students an advantage in law school applications Student Outreach Gatherings… foster a sense of community, and provide networking with other prelaw students Community Service Opportunities…. to develop appreciation for giving back to the community through volunteering: CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocate, Innocence Project, Habitat 4 Humanity Community Outreach… encourages and nurtures the goal of a legal education in the minds of elementary and secondary school children; reaches out to impact the diversity and success of Texas Tech University prelaw students, including those from traditionally under-represented populations

9. How is this team organized? Vacant – Could this be you? Joshua Barron– TTU Prelaw Coordinator TTU Prelaw Program Assistants TTU Prelaw Program Council of Stakeholders Provost, Academic Affairs, Diversity Equity & Community Engagement, Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, School of Law, Associate Deans in Interested Colleges TTU Prelaw Ambassadors

10. What do you do?

11. Why do you do these things? MISSION The TTU Prelaw Program exists to engage, equip, empower and encourage students to explore and excel in the pursuit of a legal education. Student Learning Outcomes: Equip, Empower, Explore, and Excel Program Outcomes: Engage and Encourage

12. Why do you do these things?

13. 2009 CARAVAN is October 29, 2009 Southwest Association of PreLawAdvisors (SWAPLA) Caravan Questions? If at any time you have questions, please don't hesitate to call or email us, we would be more than happy to help you! You can contact us at (806)742-2189 or prelaw@ttu.edu.

15. Writing Your Personal Statement

16. Building Your Resume

17. Letters of Recommendation

18. Completing Your Applications

20. Academic Support @ TTU

21. Career Development @ TTU

22. SWAPLA Caravan 2009

24. Learning Communities

25. Curious about Law School

27. Excelling in Class

28. Choosing a Major

29. Where Tech Students Go

30. Selecting Your Law School

31. Organizing Your Finances

32. Networking