Editor’s Note: The Happy Beginnings series features recent College of Arts & Sciences graduates who are getting started in careers, graduate school and service.
During his senior year Ohio University, Jacob Kennedy was looking for a way to continue studying law while preparing for law school.
He found a perfect program to meet his needs. He’s now enrolled in the M.A in Law, Justice & Culture.
Kennedy says the program is helping him develop knowledge and skills including analyzing law in context, constructing legal memos, and critically reading texts—knowledge he is confident will set him apart from other law school applicants.
“I think this one-year graduate program was the finishing touch I that I needed following my undergraduate degree to really transform my mind to appreciate and understand scholarly works,” he says.
“The M.A. program is rigorous, and it has pushed me to be the best version of myself. There’s little room to perform at any level less than the best of my abilities,” he says. “My professors have inspired me to always aspire to be the best I can be academically.”
The master’s program, offered in the Center for Law, Justice & Culture, is currently accepting applications.
- On-Campus program open for Fall 2021: Priority Application deadline is March 15, 2021.
- Online program open for Summer and Fall 2021: The Summer application deadline is April 15.
- High school seniors can apply for the Early Assurance Program.
- Senior undergraduates can enroll in graduate coursework for graduate credit in Spring 2021.
Supportive Faculty Pushed Him to Exceed Expectations
From the moment that Kennedy first stepped foot on the Athens campus, Ohio University felt like home.
As he began his academic coursework, he felt supported and driven to succeed.
“All of the faculty that I’ve interacted with have been the utmost kind and supportive,” he says. “They’ve also pushed me academically to exceed my own expectations for myself.”
Encouraged by his mentors, Kennedy explored many experiences as an OHIO undergraduate. He majored in History Pre-Law, with certificates in Museum Studies and Italian Studies.
He spent three years as a resident assistant in the dormitories, and he was president of New Chords on the Block and a member of the Singing Men of Ohio.
Deciding to Attend Law School
Toward the end of his senior year, he decided that he wanted to attend law school.
“When I decided that I wanted to go to law school,” he said, “it was a little too late in the year to apply. That being said, I was looking for a program that would allow me to continue my education and prepare for law school.”
He soon came across the one-year M.A. program housed in the Center for Law, Justice & Culture.
A major draw for him was the CLJC faculty teaching in the program.
“The CLJC faculty are second to none, and seeing all of their expertise offered in one program was like a dream come true,” he said.
“I really felt like I could benefit from their teaching and so far, that has been completely true.”
Graduate Coursework in Surveillance and More
Reflecting on his coursework in the graduate program, Kennedy highlights Dr. John Gilliom’s course, Politics of Surveillance, which opened his eyes to the many complex ways that surveillance impacts our society.
“Modern surveillance is such an interesting topic that impacts us all. It’s a lot more than just cameras and GPS tracking. You would be surprised by how many different ways there are to surveil people.”
This fall, Kennedy is also taking three LJC core courses, in sociolegal theory, sociolegal research methods, and legal research and writing.
The program has helped him hone his critical thinking about law, explore new topics, and grow as a person.
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