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Sue J. Henry Center
for Pre-Law Education
Alumni Newsletter - February 2018
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 | Pre-law students talk about the LSAT class | |
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| Miami's Henry Pre-Law Center educates students about law school and the practice of law, and equips those who apply to law school with the tools to succeed in the law school admissions process. Students receive focused guidance and counseling, and are provided with opportunities to learn from and network with professionals.
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Dear Alumni and Friends, As we start the new year, I’d like to share with you the many accomplishments of our alumni and students. In October, the Pre-Law program celebrated its 10-year anniversary with the establishment of a $1.5 million endowment and the renaming of the program after our distinguished alumna, Sue J. Henry. Sue provided the initial gift for our Center ten years ago, and served as the first chair of our Pre-Law Alumni Advisory Board in 2007. As a result of Sue’s vision, leadership, and commitment, The Sue J. Henry Center for Pre-Law Education will be able to serve the needs of Miami pre-law students for years to come.
The Center’s new name was one of many “firsts” this past year. In November the Henry Pre-Law Center hosted its first Women in Law and Leadership Symposium, where our alumni and pre-law students came together to discuss important topics such as gender issues in the workplace, work/life challenges, career trajectories, and keys to success. In addition, our in-house LSAT preparation course reached record student enrollment this year, and more of our seniors were accepted to Top 25 law schools than ever before! We hope you take the time to learn more about these programs and accomplishments in the stories below.
Despite its new name, the Center’s mission remains the same: educating Miami students about the realities of the legal profession, assisting students in assessing its fit for them, and ensuring they are competitive in the law school application process. Thank you for giving your time and resources to Miami University, the Henry Pre-Law Center, and its students this past year. Your continued support has resulted in tangible successes for our students, and we look forward to the year ahead! Sincerely, Maria P. Vitullo, Esq.
Director
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 | Sue J. Henry and Maria Vitullo |
| Pre-law Program renamed after prestigious alumna The Sue J. Henry Center for Pre-Law Education, newly named after alumna and long-time supporter Sue Henry '73, held its official naming ceremony on Wednesday, October 4. "Because of Sue's support, the Center can successfully meet the advising needs of Miami pre-law students, from the beginning stages of figuring out whether law is a good career fit through the law school application and decision process," said Maria Vitullo, director. The all-day celebration was preceded by a formal VIP dinner at the Marcum Hotel and Conference Center. Attendees included President Greg Crawford, Dr. Renate Crawford, Provost Phyllis Callahan, Dean Chris Makaroff, and CAS Associate Dean Patrick Haney. The Miami University Alumni Association sponsored both the dinner and the naming celebration.
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 | Sophomore Taylor Gordon moderated a panel on gender issues in the workplace |
| Miami students and alumni discuss gender and law at the Women in Law and Leadership Symposium On Friday, November 3, Miami's recently renamed Sue J. Henry Center for Pre-Law Education hosted a symposium that focused on issues related to gender issues in law and leadership, as well as keys to overcoming them. Open to the public, the Women in Law and Leadership (WILL) Symposium was held at the Marcum Conference Center from 8 am to 5 pm. Approximately 130 students, faculty, and community members registered to attend the day's events. Lyn Schollete, executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and class of '89 Miami alum, gave the keynote address on the topic "Channeling Your Inner Advocate: Defending Rape Shield Law and Victims' Privacy Rights."
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Faculty Spotlight: Neal D. Schuett Neal D. Schuett, a visiting assistant professor in business, is also the Henry Pre-Law Center’s program coordinator for Miami’s award-winning James Lewis Family Miami University Mock Trial Program (MMT). The Center will be working with Miami Mock Trial as part of its broader role in coordinating pre-law education university-wide.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Neal earned his bachelor's degrees in Management Information Systems and Religious Studies from the University of Iowa and received his law degree from the University of Iowa, College of Law.
He relocated to Oxford in 2009 to join MMT alumus Daniel Haughey’s law firm, Haughey & Deters LLC. In 2010, he began coaching mock trial at Miami.
Neal’s private practice is devoted to criminal trial and appellate work. He has served as a part-time prosecutor for the City of Hamilton and as a felony public defender for Butler County, Ohio. When he isn't practicing law and teaching, he also serves as a member of the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA), Board of Directors and the Academy of Legal Studies in Business.
MMT, currently ranked #8 nationally by the AMTA, is currently in its postseason. The students competed at three fall invitational tournaments, with all resulting in top ten finishes -- with most being top five.
At the Cincinnati Regional Qualifier hosted by Xavier University, MMT's junior varsity ("B team") finished at the top of the bracket with a perfect 8-0 record and a witness award for junior Katie Milders. The varsity ("A team"), led by captains Bella Seeberg and Dani Kunkel, finished with an undefeated record of 7-0-1 with tournament honors going to seniors Chase Shelton, Austin Worrell, Toni Bernardi, and Kunkel.
"The coaching staff is very excited about the teams’ success this year," Schuett said. "We implemented a new style this season that has paid huge dividends in the postseason. The 'split-stacked' teams in the fall have resulted in a close-knit program with strong bonds between the incoming and outgoing classes.
"This senior class has the talent and determination to win it all. They will be sacrificing their senior-year spring break to practice for the Hamilton ORCS. We will be ready to defend the streak and continue to make the Miami community proud!"
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 | Ellen Florek (right) with Ali Preissing |
| Pre-law Student Spotlight: Ellen Florek Ellen Florek is an honors junior Pre-Law student and Political Science major who recently studied abroad on the Miami University Dolibois European Center (MUDEC) campus in Luxembourg. "Maria Vitullo, the director of the Sue J. Henry Center for Pre-Law Education, has been a constant source of guidance," she said. "It's been an absolute pleasure working with her both in the office and as a divisional representative in the Law and Public Policy Scholars Program. She provides so much support and insight to undergraduates aiming on going to law school and is an excellent resource for anyone interested in law."
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