Law School Welcomes 21 Students for Intensive Summer Pre-law Program

Photo by Darinda Sharp

The SPPARK 2018 class members on the first day of their on-campus experience.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas School of Law admitted 21 students from 11 undergraduate institutions for its annual Summer Pre-law Program, known as SPPARK. 

SPPARK is designed to expand diversity in law schools and in the legal profession by immersing underrepresented population groups in a three-week on-campus law school experience. A gift from the Walmart Legal Department along with funding from the University of Arkansas Office of Diversity and Inclusion support the May 21 to June 8 in-residence program.

Twelve Arkansans and students from Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas will participate in professional development seminars and excursions, academic courses designed to simulate law school classes and preparation for the law school entrance exam, known as the LSAT. The curriculum helps to develop skills and networks students need to be admitted to law school, compete for the best scholarships, excel in their classes and become productive members of the legal community.

The law school's summer pre-law program was initially established in 2012 through a grant from the Law School Admission Council and Discoverlaw.org. The University of Arkansas School of Law has been able to continue the program with independent funds, a rare occurrence among the LSAC-funded programs. 

According to the Access to Justice Commission's 2016 annual report, Arkansas has the fewest attorneys per capita of any state in the union, with one attorney for every 500 Arkansans, a deficit that is even more pronounced in rural communities. According to the American Bar Association's National Lawyer Population Survey from the same year, the legal profession in the United States was 64 percent male and 85 percent Caucasian.

Approximately 120 students have successfully completed the program since it began and many have gone on to law schools across the country. Students from the first few years have graduated from law school and started their legal careers.

The members of this year's class are from eight states and 11 undergraduate institutions. They range in age from 19-24 and more than half are first generation college students. The group includes a diverse mix of gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and academic backgrounds. Participants completed approximately five hours of guided self-study before arriving at the university.

Follow the SPPARK experience by going to the University of Arkansas School of Law Facebook page or searching #SPPARK18 on Twitter or Instagram.