Conference leadership presented Jefferson with the "Commitment to the Cause Service Award" in recognition of her "outstanding commitment and service to helping aspiring Black lawyers better understand what it takes to be successful applicants, law students and lawyers." In addition, VLS received the "Diversity Outreach Champion Award" for "demonstrating a sustained commitment to reaching out to Black prospective applicants through participation in the Law Fair for 10 years in a row."
"I am honored to be recognized with this award and even more honored to work with and provide guidance to so many aspiring lawyers," said Jefferson, who leads student affairs and diversity at VLS. "And I am proud of the mission-driven work of Vermont Law School and our alumni. We are committed to developing a strong, diverse community of students who are prepared to take on the challenges of our global society."
"The National Black Pre-Law Conference is the nation's leading conference for students of color who are on the path to law school," said VLS alumna Kendra Brown '12, special assistant and counsel in the U.S. House of Representatives and former national chair of the National Black Law Students Association, northeast regional chair of the NBLSA, and VLS chapter president. "I was delighted to participate in the 10th anniversary of the conference and truly enjoyed sharing my experiences with attendees. I also congratulate Dean Shirley Jefferson on being honored during the conference. She is a devoted advocate for students and has been a leader in her commitment to diversity at Vermont Law School for over a decade. She is to be commended and is most worthy of the accolades and awards she has received."
Vermont Law School students come from 35 states and territories, and countries including China, Brazil, Spain, Canada, France, Grenada, and New Zealand. The fall 2014 entering juris doctor (JD) class is 58 percent female and 24 percent people of color. About 95 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance, including VLS grants and scholarships.
The school's diversity is a reflection of its mission: "to educate students in a diverse community that fosters personal growth and that enables them to attain outstanding professional skills and high ethical values with which to serve as lawyers and environmental and other professionals in an increasingly technological and interdependent global society."
For more information about student affairs and diversity at Vermont Law School, email tjohnson@vermontlaw.edu or call 802-831-1238. For more information about admissions, visit www.vermontlaw.edu/admissions.