Jurisprudence Learning Community

Whether you plan on pursuing law school following graduation or are interested in learning how the law pertains to a career in public administration, policy, or politics, this non-residential learning community is for you! You'll earn class credit while getting support for your academic, professional, and personal goals

Position Yourself Now for Your Future Career

  • Earn course credit (four credit commitment - three credits in the fall semester, one credit in the spring semester)
  • Attend field trips in and around the D.C. area
  • Meet and network with leaders throughout the legal profession
  • Pursue opportunities for leadership development
  • Benefit from law school admissions guidance and resources 
  • Learn alongside students with similar interests and career goals
  • Participate in career workshops and study groups with guidance from legal studies faculty and staff

This community is open to any interested sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

"The Jurisprudence Learning Community (JPLC) has without a doubt been my favorite experience as a Schar School student ... At a time when I wasn't certain about my future, it was comforting and empowering to be surrounded by individuals who shared similar goals. The support I gained from Schar School faculty and staff made me feel confident that my decision to attend law school in Fall 2024 wasn't just a good choice, but the best choice for me. It is because of the incredible connections, mentorship opportunities, and skills I have gained from the JPLC that I am departing George Mason with a newfound passion for the law, along with tools that I am certain will assist me in law school and beyond.”

 

Mackenzie E Mcgreer, JPLC ‘24 

Mackenzie E Mcgreer stands outside smiling while wearing a white dress and holding a green mortarboard
Jurisprudence - Fall 2022 dinner

Jurisprudence LC student Miranda Céspedes with Justin Dews, Associate Counsel to the President

A Supportive Enviroment

The Jurisprudence Learning Community will help you connect with social and academic programs designed to help students with an interest in law, such as the Black Justice Association, Patriot Pre-Law Program, and career services.

You'll also be encouraged to identify organizations and activities in the D.C. area that align with your interests and engage with them. Both individually and as a group, community members will reflect on how these experiences impact their personal and professional goals.

Help Achieving Your Goals

You can also count on easy access to school resources to help prepare you for law school or landing a great job right out of school, such as:

  • Preparation for the LSAT
  • Resume help
  • Career support
  • Guidance on internships
  • Help with personal statements
Jurisprudence - Fall 2022 dinner

Schar School learning communities students help welcome Australia’s Prime Minister to the White House.

A Memorable Year

Past and future events include: 

  • A weekly dinner series with high-profile speakers for participating LC students. Speakers have included the Associate Counsel to the President at the White House, and the Senior Advisor to the Speaker of the House.
  • An overnight trip to Richmond, VA for customized tours and meetings at the Supreme Court of VA, the state capitol building, and the University of Richmond Law School.
  • A law school admissions tour and class visit at GMU’s Antonin Scalia Law School.
  • Workshops for students applying to law school.
  • A customized field trip to DC with tours of the Department of Justice, Hogan Lovells, and the DC Courts of Appeals.

Student Spotlight: Ernesto Galeas

Galeas joined the Jurisprudence Learning Community, because he knew the program would give him a better understanding of how workers’ rights cases, which impact his day job, became law. Through the yearlong JPLC, Galeas learned about civil rights and constitutional law both in and out of the classroom including visits to the Supreme Court of Virginia in Richmond, the U.S. Congress, and the Department of Justice. 

Galeas credits the JPLC with giving him tools he could immediately apply in other classes, as well as in his professional job of labor organizing.

Thanks to his experiences with the JPLC and the Schar School, Galeas now wants to pursue a master’s in public policy after he graduates in May 2023. Ultimately, he plans to use his education for the advocacy work that originally inspired him. 

“I would like to do lobbying for unions or for nonprofits that advocate for access to education, health care, housing, and reform of the criminal justice system, which are all very important,” he said.

Read the full profile on Ernesto. 

A group of students sit and stand behind a wooden dais and in front of a red curtain and two large pillars.
My Jurisprudence Learning Community Journey to Richmond

Recent News About the Jurisprudence Learning Community

View all Jurisprudence Learning Community stories

To participate in the Jurisprudence Learning Community, you should enroll in the GOVT 301 section that is specifically for learning community members for the fall semester.

This course, GOVT 301: Public Law and the Judicial Process:

  • goes towards the Law, Philosophy, and Governance concentration in the Government and International Politics major
  • counts as an elective in the Criminology, Law, and Society degree with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • is a core course in the Legal Studies minor

During spring registration, community members will enroll in a connected 1-credit GOVT 399 course for that semester.

Shea M. Holman Kilian stands wearing a gray blazer and white shirt while smiling

Meet the Jurisprudence Learning Community Director 

Shea M. Holman Kilian, J.D. and contact:

For any questions or to learn more, contact: sholman3@gmu.edu