December 2019 Dean’s Corner - Investing in Student Success

by Matthew J. Parlow

In the world of legal education, one of the most important investments we can make is in the very people who we serve—our students. At Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law, we’ve become known for providing a personalized, practice-focused education that balances foundational theory with real-world experience. Because of that, we’ve experienced tremendous growth in applications, incoming students’ credentials, and graduate employment.

However, it’s not enough to just provide law students with a high-quality, innovative curriculum. We also need to provide them with the best resources and physical environment possible, so that they are equipped to excel both during law school and throughout their post-bar careers. That’s why we’re making smart investments in student success at the Fowler School of Law.

We’re always looking for ways to keep our home of Kennedy Hall one of the best and most up-to-date law school buildings in the country. We’ve experienced great fundraising success to both renovate existing facilities and to carve out new, efficient uses of space within our existing footprint.

These renovations began last year with several distinctive projects, including a $1 million transformation of the Wylie A. Aitken Trial Courtroom that went beyond just aesthetics. The renovations incorporated technologies for wireless presentations, video conferencing, multimedia recording, digital evidence viewing, and custom control over the audio-visual system. This allows our students to practice their craft in what I believe is one of the best courtrooms of any law school in the country.

Additionally, we improved the student experience in our Hugh & Hazel Darling Law Library by lowering the book stacks and upgrading furniture to create a bright, inspiring setting for research and studying. We created new, flexible classroom spaces, as well as renovated offices for our premier student organizations, competition team boards, and publications—including the Student Bar Association, Chapman Law Review, and the Diversity and Social Justice Forum, whose annual symposium supports the school’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

This year, we embarked on several exciting projects that not only continue the physical improvements to Kennedy Hall, but also expand the breadth and depth of services we provide to our students. One of these initiatives was the creation of our new Center for Student Engagement, which brings together three critical areas for student success: Career Services, Student Affairs, and Academic Achievement.

Located in a newly renovated suite bathed in natural light, this one-stop shop for students and alumni alike includes an open and welcoming reception area, a conference room, and three interviewing rooms, in addition to staff offices. By bringing together these different areas, we are building on creative synergies that will help us achieve greater levels of personalized student support and engagement.

That level of personalized support is no more evident than in the work done by the Career Services Office, whose team of talented advisors truly get to know students in order to give them individualized, tailored advice for their career paths and job searches. Thanks to this hands-on approach based on building ongoing relationships, our students are more engaged in their budding careers than ever before. In fall 2019, more than 1,200 applications were submitted to prospective employers by Fowler School of Law students—up 58% over the previous year.

In addition, the Career Services Office has seen impressive gains with its banner recruiting program, which includes both spring and fall on-campus interview programs, as well as other services to assist firms in their recruitment efforts. For our most recent on-campus interview season, we saw twice the number of employers participating, compared with 2018.

Another student support area in which we’ve been able to invest is academic achievement and bar preparation. A $1 million gift received earlier this year established a new endowed professorship and helps expand our innovative bar exam preparation program. With the hiring of a new director of academic achievement and the integration of that area into the Center for Student Engagement, we’re better able to prepare students to become effective attorneys and excel in their legal careers.

We have also invested in facilities outside the realms of academics and co-curricular activities, such as the recent full-scale renovation of the heavily used Bergener Mirejovsky Student Lounge. This hub of law student activity is now more welcoming than ever, with a modern, open feel, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and multiple areas for relaxation, studying, and socializing. We have also modernized and streamlined communication channels for students in the lounge and throughout the building by placing digital screens in student-heavy spaces for information sharing and giving student groups access to collaborate and promote their events. All of these upgrades reinforce the importance of not just internal investment in the law school, but external support as well. Without generous donations from outside donors, we would not have been able to make such sweeping improvements in such a short period of time—all without impacting our students’ wallets. In fact, over the last three years we have received four gifts of at least $1 million—a testament to the belief, support, and confidence that donors have in the important and impactful work we continue to do with our students.

Matthew J. Parlow is Dean and the Donald P. Kennedy Chair in Law at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. He may be reached at parlow@chapman.edu.