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Regent Law Announces New Hispanic Law Student Association

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in the United States and in 2009 comprised almost 16% of the nation’s population. Yet, despite this presence, only 5.2% of the students admitted into law schools throughout the U.S. classify themselves as Hispanic.

Regent is committed to building an academic community that is truly representative of the population at-large, and so Regent Law is proud to announce its newest student organization: the Hispanic Law Student Association (HLSA).

HLSA’s mission is to “foster ethnic diversity and awareness within our law school community as well as to actively serve and maintain awareness of legal issues within the global Hispanic community.”

3L Melissa Bray is President of this fledgling organization. She attributes the low percentage of Hispanic law students across the country to “the unique cultural challenges that make academic success difficult for Hispanics.”

She went on to explain that HLSA is not only important to the Regent Law community, but to the local Hampton Roads community as well. At roughly 4%, the Hispanic population of Hampton Roads is significantly lower than the national average, augmenting the cultural challenges local Hispanics face.

“HLSA will help the Hampton Roads Hispanic community to combat cultural barriers, to promote higher education, and inspire Hispanic youth to pursue law,” said Bray.

Professor Michael Hernandez, whose field specialties include Race and the Law, serves as faculty advisor for the organization. “Hispanics are a vital part of the American community,” he said, “and this organization will help make Regent Law a more attractive place for prospective Hispanic students who want a Christian legal education.”

To get involved with, or for more information about the Hispanic Law Student Association, please contact Melissa Bray at: melibr3@regent.edu.

Regent’s 2010-2011 HLSA Board Members are as follows:

Melissa Bray (President)
Keila Molina (Vice-President of Academic Affairs)
Nicole Thurston (Vice-President of Community Affairs)
Jillian Shierts (Director of Finances)
Noah Tyler (Administrative Director)


 - By Molly Eccles

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