SIU, Stillman College sign historic pact

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama have signed a memorandum of understanding that will help students from the historically Black liberal arts college earn a degree from the SIU School of Law.

The ultimate goal of the program is to help diversify both the SIU Law School and the legal profession in general.

"We are committed to being an anti-racist and inclusive law school," said SIU School of Law Dean Camille Davidson.

"The only way to have real access to justice is to train attorneys from various backgrounds. Students from underrepresented populations are often not exposed to the study of law, and many who are interested are not prepared for the application and admissions process.

"Building partnerships with HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions, like Stillman, will help SIU School of Law become more diverse," she added.

Under the agreement, SIU and Stillman College will engage in collaborative academic activities with the SIU School of Law that promote a path for Stillman College students to enroll in the law school and earn their law degree.

The MOU also includes options for students considering how they can continue their education after earning their bachelor's degrees.

Davidson said about two-thirds of minority law school applicants are not accepted, primarily due to low Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. In October 2021 there were 246 students in the SIU law school, of which 17, or 7%, were Black.

"We are honored to be included as the first HBCU to partner with the Southern Illinois University School of Law to better prepare our prelaw students for professional legal studies," Stillman College President Cynthia Warrick said.

She said the program will start by enrolling selected Stillman students in a summer prelaw program to expose them to the rigor and policies of law school admissions.

"We are also looking to advance similar programs with SIU in pre-health professions for students in Stillman's Biomedical Academy," Warrick said. Collaborative efforts like this will ensure Stillman students are competitive for entry and success in law school and other professional programs. We are grateful to SIU for creating this opportunity."

The summer program will bring 15 college students from around the country to SIU's campus, May 25-29, to explore legal careers, learn about the law school application process and begin to prepare for the LSAT. Students will also hone the skills necessary for law school, such as understanding how to read and analyze a case, Davidson said.

"We want to provide these students with the resources to be successful in applying to and graduating from law school," Davidson said. "Like SIU, Stillman is located in a rural area and many of the students are first-generation college students."

Stillman College was organized in 1875, authorized by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church.