The English department helped support a recent trip to Washington D.C. by the Black Pre-Law Student Association, designed completely by leaders of the executive board, as they utilized their own vision and connections to curate each aspect of this trip.
From the executive board:
"Upon arrival in Washington, DC, we checked into our lodging at The Club Quarters Hotel, which had beautiful views of national landmarks including the White House and Capitol. Our group organized a visit to McGuireWoods LLP, a prestigious law firm where we utilized our connection with Villanova alum, Andrew Southerling, who serves as a partner at the firm. Within our visit, we had the opportunity to sit among McGuireWoods LLP partners, associates, and attorneys. Members of our club were granted access to unparalleled networking opportunities with individuals well-established within their respective legal professions and had the opportunity to ask questions and receive genuine answers. We were lucky enough to receive a visit from the chair of the firm, Jon Harmon, who gave perspective to our group of how as a black man, he was able to navigate the nature of and become successful in his field. The opportunity to meet with legal associates, partners, and the chair of a law firm in a private conversational setting was an opportunity that many of our underrepresented students had never been exposed to, and our team was more than happy to arrange.
Following our visit to McGuireWoods LLP, members of our organization also had the opportunity to receive a private tour from the George Washington Law School chapter of the Black Law Student Association. Our members were able to learn detailed information about the admissions process and what each law school looks for in a competitive candidate for their institution. The knowledge and skills gained by this experience were invaluable for our prospective law school students.
The following day, our group partnered with an Urban Agriculture Enterprise to perform community service. During our time of service, we were able to help revitalize a community garden to provide access to fresh produce and vegetables to the inner-city communities of Washington, DC. This outreach initiative taught our members the importance of not only serving as legal advocates for the voiceless but also, the importance of tangibly serving in the community. Villanova’s devotion to Caritas is one that the Black Pre-Law Student Association holds to a high regard, as we recognize how service is synonymous with being a Villanovan and were happy to give back to our community.
Our trip was closed out with a private networking dinner at Lyle’s in Dupont Circle. Our group had the opportunity to connect with the founder of our organization, Adetola Ajayi, who currently works as an Associate at Cadwalader, Wickersham, & Taft LLP and Earl Quermorllue, a Villanova alum who now attends Howard Law School, and is an incoming summer associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. During this dinner, our group had the opportunity to reflect on the trip and seek authentic advice from Alums related to how minority students can be successful in legal spaces."
