NCCULAWNEWS
New Law School Pipeline Initiative – ETL Scholars The Emerging Technology Leadership Program is a new law school pipeline program created jointly by the NCCU School of Law and the NCCU School of Library and Information Science. NCCU School of Law maintains its mission of providing opportunities for law school for underserved populations. This initiative directly supports this mission. Not only does the ETL program increase the pool of diverse applicants for law school, it also increases the diversity of the information sciences field as well. Although minority students tend to have lower indicators on some standardized tests, NCCU has accepted the challenge to assist aspiring law students obtain admission in law school by providing coaching and support for LSAT preparation. The first group of students that participated in the program took the LSAT in September. These students posted impressive improvements to their LSAT scores bringing many of these ETL Scholars above the median LSAT score for admission at NCCU School of Law. Our tradition of rigor is maintained within the program. Students are not automatically admitted to law school because of their participation in the program. They must earn the requisite application credentials to be offered admission to the law school. The ETL Program assists them by providing structure and coaching which may help them raise their LSAT scores. During the summer of 2019 Interim Dean Elaine O’Neal and Dean John Gant formed a partnership to develop the program. After meeting with Associate Dean Kimberly Cogdell Grainger, Program Director for the ETL program, a group of administrators and faculty members including Dean Malik Edwards, Professor David Green, Professor Dorothy Hairston Mitchell, Professor Ansel Brown, and Dr. Shirley Faulkner-Springfield sketched out the plan for the program and moved quickly to implement it. Professionals with expertise in the intersection of technology and law are in growing demand by successful national and global entities. This is a unique opportunity to become a leader in the area of law, information and technology. ETL Scholars form a cohort of students matriculating in the Masters of 34 | NCCU SCHOOL OF LAW • OF COUNSEL MAGAZINE
Information Science program at North Carolina Central University during the fall semester. A unique aspect of the program is that in addition to preparation in information science, ETL Scholars will complete a series of skills training modules designed to hone logical and analytical reasoning skills to prepare them for the LSAT. The students meet as a group/ cohort to move through the fall semester together preparing for the LSAT and taking classes together in the MIS program. The cohort approach creates a community which is useful for test preparation and study groups. Law professors provide weekly coaching sessions to encourage the students, provide accountability and foster community amongst the group. Dr. Shirley Faulkner-Springfield, of the law school’s Writing Center provided a writing assessment for the students in the program. The law school’s Director of Wellness, Brett Bowers, provides sessions on coping with stress, test taking anxiety and goal visualization to create a holistic approach to LSAT preparation. Scholars are encouraged to sit for the September/October LSAT. During the fall semester, ETL students take required classes in the MIS program and participate in weekly LSAT, application and skills preparation. ETL Scholars will apply to the law school in October or November of the fall semester. If accepted into the JD program, ETL scholars will have the opportunity to transition from the MIS program to the JD/MIS program for the joint degree in law and information science leading to the JD/MIS degree. Upon successful completion of the program requirements, all ETL Scholars earn a Master of Information Science or a JD/MIS. Careers which combine law, information and technology are growing and we are excited about this innovative program. The ETL Program is being led by Kimberly Cogdell Grainger, Associate Dean for Accreditation and Professor of Law. Dean Grainger has taught at the law school since 2005. She has also served as Chair of the Faculty Senate. Creating the ETL program represents just one of the many initiatives the law school is planning with other units on campus.
