person / online Orientation program that offered first-year students a chance to meet others in their first-year section cohorts ( including some faculty ) in a safe manner . We also had a very high participation rate in our mentorship program which allowed incoming students to be matched with a Career Development counselor , a faculty mentor , an alumni / professional mentor , and a peer mentor . We also launched a new online platform to manage our mentorship program and provided some extra support and structure for mentors and mentees to interact with one another .
Have you seen a drop in applications for the fall of 2021 ?
Assistant Dean for Admissions , Diversity and Inclusion & Strategic Initiatives Gregory L . Roseboro : No , our applications are up .
What are the law students most concerned about ?
Beck : Students are focused on learning difficult material and performing well in their courses . They are concerned about jobs and preparing themselves for the employment market . However , the pandemic may add a layer of anxiety that would not exist in other years .
Are employers withdrawing offers or making changes to summer programs ?
Waller : Many employers were deliberate about their summer associate programs and extending offers but , by and large , even those firms that made the tough decision to cancel their 2020 summer program remained committed to their summer 2020 associates . Based on conversations with hiring partners , recruiters and students , I believe summer 2021 hiring will be comparable to recent years .
Have you made any changes during this time that , even after COVID-19 , you might implement in the future ?
Beck : Students and instructors have become more comfortable with distance learning technologies and have recognized some benefits from teaching and learning online .
Waller : It is nearly impossible to consider future interview programs and student counseling without having virtual platform options . The ability of students to reach employers that traditionally would have a hard time justifying the investment for inperson interviews is too powerful to ignore . Likewise , being able to connect with a student face to face without them having to physically come to the Career Development Office allows greater access and improves student services .
Graham : We now see that certain events and meetings actually work well in an online format and that providing an online attendance option actually helps with inclusivity . I certainly think that we ’ ll continue to offer some virtual programs going forward so more people can participate .
What has been particularly difficult for law students during this time ?
Beck : Remote instruction , social distancing and masks have made it harder to build relationships and have left some students feeling isolated . The law school has made special efforts to create community building opportunities , but this remains challenging in light the public health situation .
What has been easier for the law students during this time ?
Beck : Many students have days when they can attend classes through Zoom and have no need to come to campus , saving time that would otherwise be spent commuting .
Waller : Having nearly instant access to professors , career and student affairs professionals , alumni , mentors , and employers . A bonus for most students is their universal comfort with the technologies many of us are having to learn .
We ' ll continue to offer some virtual programs so more people can participate .
What can the bar association do to help law students right now ?
Beck : The bar association could help by offering opportunities for students to meet practicing lawyers , notwithstanding the pandemic . It would also help for employers to move forward with hiring to the greatest extent possible .
Waller : From my perspective , providing student access to section meetings and other networking opportunities would be great . Schools are working to provide authentic interactions with practitioners ; the Atlanta Bar Association would be a great resource to help facilitate that .
Graham : I think any sort of outreach and mentorship goes a long way right now . Students appreciate reminders that they aren ’ t going through this tough time alone and that there are plenty of legal professionals who are also having to make it work .
CONTACT : HEIDI M . MURPHY Director of Communications and Public Relations , University of Georgia , School of Law Hmurphy @ uga . edu
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EMORY UNIVERSITY
Is the semester schedule different ? How ?
22 February / March 2021