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Over the space of just five years, the number of Adventist students declaring a pre-law emphasis in undergraduate studies in all Adventist colleges and universities in North America has nearly doubled, from 169 students in 1988, to 290 pre-law students in 2002. This increased interest corresponds with a growing number of classes, emphases, degrees and programs offered to prepare students for law school or graduate school in international studies and policy making.
Curriculum
A primary objective of the Center is to mentor Adventist
students
interested
in pursuing careers
in law
and public
policy.
One of
the ways
the Center
accomplishes this goal is through a unique program of
study
offered in conjunction with Columbia Union College,
the Adventist
liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Washington
D.C. The curriculum offered in Pre-Law and Political Studies
through CUC includes a B.A. in Political Studies,
and can
be found at the following link:
http://www.cuc.edu
Andrews University, in Michigan, also offers a B.A. in Political Studies. Information about that program can be found at the following website:
http://www.andrews.edu
Oakwood College offers a B.A. in International Studies, and Southwestern Adventist University offers a B.A. in International Affairs. Information for these programs can be found at:
http://www.oakwood.edu
http://www.swau.edu
Mock Trial Team
The Center for Law and Public Policy, in conjunction with Columbia Union College, sponsors the first and only Mock Trial Team in Adventism, now in its sixth year. The team, made up of pre-law students and political studies majors, prepares a criminal or civil case that is distributed annually by the American Mock Trial Association to more than two hundred institutions nationally, including Columbia, Duke, and Yale Universities. Meeting for several hours each week, the students sort through hundreds of pages of documents including witness affidavits, coroner’s reports, maps, and photographs. Each year the team is coached by two area lawyers who donate their time to guide the participants in preparing full arguments for both the defense and prosecution, complete with witnesses, courtroom documents, and evidence exhibits.
The year of hard work culminates in an annual national competition of all participating teams in which three judges preside over a full argument of the case at hand, and declare a winner based upon each team’s performance. However, due to Sabbath conflicts, CUC has been unable to participate in this competition, but the team still travels each year to challenge nationally ranked universities to exhibition matches. The matches, which adhere closely to U.S. court procedures, are an excellent opportunity for students considering law as a career to gain hands-on introductory exposure to the ins and outs of courtroom litigation.
In its first year, CUC met with the mock trial team from the University of Maryland, shocking the much larger school as it beat the team that went on to win its fifth national championship one month later. CUC has continued to be a surprise newcomer, adding victories over the University of Dayton, Ohio to its list of accomplishments. This year, for the third year in a row, CUC will meet UCLA, former west coast champions, in a mock trial exhibition.
Former captains of the Mock Trial Team have gone on to study at Georgetown Law School, Harvard Law School and William & Mary Law School.
Internships
The Center also helps place students in internship programs in the Washington D.C. area and around the country that relate to the law and public policy. Under the auspices of the Center, recent pre-law students have worked on Capitol Hill, served as assistants to State Representatives and Senators, and interned in major law firms and NGOs.
If you are seeking an internship, or a referral from the Center for Law and Public Policy to an organization involved in public policy issues, please fill out the form on our Contact page, checking the appropriate box, and attach a cover letter and curriculum vitae and send it to us well in advance of the date you wish to start your internship.
Some examples of internships include:
District of Columbia, Office of Council Member Adrian Fenty
Michael Sindram, 2001
Grilb & Stevens Law Firm
Gwen-Marie Davis, 2001
Hawaii State Capitol, Office of Minority House Leader. David Pendleton (R)
Amber Porter, 2001; Scott Rawson, 2001; Clifton Gadsden, 2000
Massachusetts State House, Governor's Office
Mackline Bastien, 2001
The Public Sector, Washington DC Office
Hannah White, 2001
Takoma Park, Office of Mayor Katharine Porter
Keshinda Johnson, 2001
US House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Water and Power
Scott Loughlin, 2000
US Senate, Office of Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fl)
Tyler Mace, 1997
The White House, Office of Presidential Personnel
Mitch Scoggins, 1996
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