Central State University’s Pre-Law Program celebrates 14th annual Constitution Day

Above: Barbara C.S. DiGiacomo, J.D., (left) and Sidney Williams, Ph.D., director of the Graduate School Preparation Program at Central State University, announce the 3+3 degree program partnership at Central State's 14th annual Constitution Day.

The Pre-Law Program at Central State University held a series of full-day activities for its 14th annual Constitution Day on Thursday, Sept. 14.

Hosted in the University Student Success Center’s Grand Ballroom, offerings throughout the free event open to the public included the opportunity for Marauders to speak with representatives from a variety of law schools around the country. There was also an expert panel debating the recent Supreme Court ruling effectively ending affirmative action in college admissions, and ceremonies celebrating the lucrative partnerships between Central State and two of the law schools present. 

“I’m a licensed attorney, so I’m interested in Constitution Day as a federally unfunded mandate by our government,” said Director of the Graduate School Preparation Program Sidney Williams. “When I first came to Central State, I was concerned about the fact that students didn’t have much of an opportunity to understand how the Constitution affects them directly.” 

With this concern in mind, Williams — who has worked in various capacities at Central State for 15 years — took it upon himself to find a way to bring more explicit, visceral meaning to Marauders. Fourteen years ago, he kicked off the first Constitution Day at the school, with themes ranging from gun rights to same-sex marriage to this past event’s motif of affirmative action. 

The Pre-Law Program at Central State is itself only 15 years old and still evolving under the guidance of leaders such as Williams. 

“I want the students to understand what a university of higher learning really should look like, in that they’re here not just remember rote facts, but also as someone who is playing a part in our society,” Williams said. “And that’s what I want them to take from the Constitution Days we’ve had. ‘How will these issues affect you? How will they affect your children? How are you going to vote now? And what are you going to do to become part of our society?’” 

The Constitution Day events are, for Williams, about engagement, interaction, and enhancement of the critical thinking process of Central State students. Williams hopes the yearly events will also take students somewhat out of their comfort zone and place them into the reality of modern-day society. 

The law school fair portion of the yearly gala is an integral part of what makes Constitution Day particularly enticing for Marauders interested in such a track for their future. Though there are 66 students in Central State’s Pre-Law Program, approximately 100 students attended the event, Williams said.  

“We have some of the best law schools in the country coming out to these events,” Williams said. 

Other law schools represented included West Virginia University, Michigan State, and University of Notre Dame.  

“They saw what we’ve been doing here in our Pre-Law Program, and then wanted to come out,” Williams said. “The only reason we only had 22 law schools represented was because that was the maximum number of tables we could fit in the ballroom. We actually had to turn some schools away.” 

At the end of this year’s festivities, Williams surveyed the representatives from law schools who came, and they told him they enjoyed meeting with Central State students enough that they will all be coming back next year.    

“There are other schools in the area that will set up law school fairs,” Williams said. “Where our events differ is that, along with the law school fair portion, we also have the Constitution Day topic. Additionally, we had the (ceremonial) signing of the two partnership agreements.” 

Although the partnership had been confirmed prior to Constitution Day, it was at the event that representatives from the University of Akron School of Law and Central State University publicly signed and announced their partnership agreement known as a three plus three (3+3) degree program.  

The agreement allows qualifying Marauders to have a seamless entryway for concurrently obtaining a bachelor‘s degree from Central State and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Akron Law in just six years instead of the usual seven. Central State is now the sixth college to have a 3+3 program with Akron Law. This is also the first time Akron Law has forged such a partnership with a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).  

Eligible Marauders can apply the first year of law school courses at Akron Law to satisfy the graduation and degree requirements at Central State, and concurrently apply the first year of Akron Law courses toward a J.D. degree granted by the University of Akron. In so doing, Central students overlap their fourth year of pre-law undergraduate work with their first year of law school on campus at Akron Law.  

“I was here last year and that’s when I proposed the 3+3 program to Central State,” said University of Akron School of Law Associate Dean for Administration and Enrollment Management Barbara C.S. DiGiacomo, J.D. “After finalizing the agreement, we decided to hold the ceremonial signing here as part of Constitution Day. I think it’s a great recruitment tool for Central State as students are looking at where to go to college. This will help Central State to attract students to its pre-law program.

"And for the students, it’s a great way to get those degrees while saving a year of tuition and getting out there in the law profession or wherever they’re going next faster.” 

As far as the benefit for Akron Law, DiGiacomo added, the nine law schools in Ohio make the market very competitive for ushering in talented and capable students to these programs. By creating a partnership with Central State, DiGiacomo believes that her school will have a leg up on bringing in top students from the well-established pre-law program at Central State. 

A similar partnership — a four plus four (4+4) degree program — was ceremonially signed with Indiana University Maurer School of Law (ranked No. 45) during the Constitution Day proceedings, as well. 

“I come to this event every year,” Janet L. Hein, Director of Admissions at Maurer School of Law, said. “I always enjoy coming here because Dr. Williams always has such bright students come who I love talking to. This year was particularly special, since we signed the 4+4 agreement which gives students a better pipeline from Central State to IU Maurer.” 

Hein was enthused by the fact that she saw more students come to the Constitution Day gala than she had in previous years.  

“Central State is certainly a school that has a good reputation for hands-on, individual attention, which I think IU Maurer also has a good reputation for,” Hein said. “That support, community, and help whenever students need it is very important. What we have here is a nice collaboration between the two schools.” The programs are still being operationalized by the Division of Academic Affairs, according to Williams.

Graduating senior and Honors College student Ashley Brown majors in criminal justice at Central State and came to the Constitution Day event as part of her path toward learning more about what opportunities are offered to her in the realm of pursuing a career in law. Though she had previously made up a list of ideal law schools, she still wanted to seek out other programs and see what they had to offer through the Constitution Day law school fair.

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“I always come to the pre-law events because I love talking to law schools,” Brown said. “Just getting inside of where I might want to go, and the comfort I may experience there. It’s a good opportunity for me to learn about these schools I may want to apply to. 

“I’m a big, heavy social justice person,” Brown said. “I like helping people. I want to be a criminal prosecutor so I can help serve justice to people who didn’t get it correctly. I feel like, at Central State, I’ve improved a lot and have had great teachers who have helped me to learn about things I want to know about.”  

“The representatives from law schools who came loved our students’ enthusiasm and they loved the fact that our students want to know more,” Williams said. “When our students go to those tables, because of our Pre-Law Program, they are well prepared. The questions they’re asking are not just surface-level questions.” 

“I think if we can continue to publicize and promote the pre-law program at Central State, we’re going to attract a good number of students who are college-ready and will be capable of entering the Honors College. And they’re going to be very successful alumni who will give back to this University.”