Outstanding career prep gives BW students law school advantage

Big goals transformed into big success for these law school students who benefited from BW's outstanding academic preparation and mentoring.

It's a competitive edge that makes Baldwin Wallace a standout among universities. Under the leadership of Dr. Barbara Palmer, professor of political science and director of legal studies, the pre-law career program provides a framework for students to gain the analytical and communication skills needed to succeed in law school and in a constantly changing legal environment.

Among impressive statistics, BW students applying to law school have an 85% acceptance rate, which is 15% higher than the national average, and an LSAT score that is also above the national average. In addition, Baldwin Wallace students have an average of three acceptances to law school and an average BW GPA of 3.58.*

Working for reproductive rights

Allyson Crays '20 of Warren, Ohio, was always passionate about service. She found her perfect fit at BW, where she majored in public health and minored in legal studies.

As a first-year student, Crays applied for an internship with U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown after encouragement from a professor. She was offered the position for spring semester. "It was pivotal in fostering my passion for public policy," emphasized Crays, whose career goal is to be a reproductive rights and health attorney.

She also was heavily involved in student government, which, she believes, improved her public speaking skills and provided experience in cross-department collaborations.

"Two of my favorite BW legal studies courses were taught by practicing attorneys, so I learned about their real-world experience in the legal field," she recalled.

Crays completed a service year with City Year AmeriCorps after BW before earning a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Northeastern University School of Law in 2024. She is currently doing a fellowship with the National Health Law Program and the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center.

Fostering one-on-one connections

From professors to co-curriculars, Marvin Williams '17 credits BW with helping him gain the insights and experience to succeed in graduate school. The Chicago native earned a master's of legal studies from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law in 2022 and is currently the manager of intergovernmental relations with the Illinois Department of Corrections.

"At BW, I was able to connect one-on-one with each of my professors and engage in co-curricular activities that allowed me to develop relationships with peers and the local community," explained the political science major who minored in legal studies, political communication and international affairs.

Williams credits the Center for Innovation and Growth, Student Senate, Model United Nations and Model African Union for helping him build negotiation skills and learn how law can be applied in different ways, including entrepreneurship. "Baldwin Wallace prepared me well," he said with genuine affirmation.

'Tough love' approach that works

Sometimes, a career pivot can strike gold. It did for Jacob Kucharski '19, who decided to pursue a legal career during his senior year at BW while majoring in international studies and national security. Currently an attorney with the law firm of Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, Kucharski believes BW was instrumental in helping prepare him for the George Washington University Law School, where he graduated in 2022.

Kucharski participated in a BW Center for Global Exploration semester program through The Washington Center. "I interned with a technology trade consortium, which allowed me to gain better insight into government functions that were pertinent to my BW studies and laid the groundwork for my career as a litigator specializing in federal government contracting and construction litigation. I also was able to expand my professional network and attend government events, such as Congressional hearings.

"At BW, numerous professors took a vested interest in developing my intellectual skills beyond what I thought was achievable," he noted. "They push students to become critical thinkers who can take on the intellectual challenges awaiting in their career fields. I am certain that without their 'tough love' and encouragement to go beyond my comfort zone, I would not have grown as much as I did while at BW or had the success that has led to my current career."

Having the tools for success

Like many students on a pre-law path, Holly Sapienza '22 majored in political science and minored in legal studies after transferring to BW from Cuyahoga Community College.

"Something that I think positively on about my BW experience is that I completed my degree as a non-traditional student while working in retail management. It was not an easy task and something that set me apart from many of my classmates, but I made it happen," she said proudly.

The North Ridgeville, Ohio, resident is currently attending Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She credits Palmer for helping her navigate college and a career path. "She gave me all of the tools and advice I needed to succeed. The networking events she put on allowed us to meet BW alumni who followed similar paths to law school and to build connections with them. And I still reference Dr. Palmer's constitutional law and women in law and politics courses to this day."

Focused on the Future

Irene Jayapandian '25 of Strongsville, Ohio, has big plans. The political science and applied economics major has an eye on attending law school then being elected to office, starting at the local and state level and, ultimately, running for Congress and beyond. The legal studies minor already got her feet wet at BW — serving as Student Senate president.

"I think the biggest benefit of the pre-law program at BW is the faculty mentoring and connections that I have made with professionals in the field. My advisor and professor, Dr. Palmer, has been instrumental in providing me with programs to attend and people to meet. Having these connections has immensely helped me in narrowing down my career choice and given me exposure to fields and professions that I had no idea existed," she said with appreciation.

*This statistic is based on a report from the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) for BW students who graduated between May 2018 - May 2024. While this data is informative, it is incomplete and only includes what students chose to disclose.