Students at Governors State University will be eligible for law school admission at Southern Illinois University through a new 3 + 3 partnership between the two institutions.
The agreement, approved in June, also creates a way to diversify the student body at the SIU law school that over time will help improve the low minority numbers in the legal community. Dean Camille M. Davidson of the SIU School of Law said now the makeup of the legal community is only 4.5% African American and 4% Latino.
The program will allow GSU students working toward degrees in three majors — Anthropology & Sociology, English and Political Science — to finish their last year of their bachelor’s program at GSU, while at the same time be enrolled in their first year of law school and living on-campus at SIU/Carbondale.
Students will earn a BA/JD degree in six years, rather than the traditional seven years.
This partnership between GSU and SIU was something GSU President Cheryl Green set as a goal when she was named president in 2020.
“Governors State University is honored to work with the Southern Illinois University School of Law to advance the ideals of equity and inclusion in the field of law. We know that the number one barrier to degree completion is financial, and this partnership was created with that in mind. By offering students an opportunity to complete two degrees in six years, we are improving their chances of success while saving them thousands of dollars,” Green said.
“I am also excited about creating opportunities for GSU students that don’t currently exist on our campus. This is an innovative partnership that we can all be proud of and that I look forward to advancing on our campus,” she said.
Davidson said: “There are so many professional opportunities for people who have a juris doctor (JD). These collaborations give us an opportunity to share information with undergraduate students and help prepare them to succeed in law school.”
Davidson said SIU believes GSU is a perfect partner for this program because it offers academic excellence and diversity. GSU is both a minority serving institution, and an emerging Hispanic serving institution.
SIU’s efforts to diversify the legal profession also include a summer program to provide rising college juniors and seniors preparation for law school, insights into opportunities after graduation and interaction with attorneys, law students and law school faculty.
“One of GSU’s students was selected to participate in our inaugural Diversity Prelaw Summer Institute,” Davidson said. “We hope to have more participants next year.”
Governors State University is a four-year comprehensive university on a campus in University Park that serves nearly 5,000 students. The university, founded in 1969, provides exceptional and accessible, high-value undergraduate and graduate curricula.
For additional information, visit govst.edu.