UNM's School of Law was awarded the Dean Henry J. Ramsey Jr. Award for Diversity, presented by the American Bar Association to the nation's law school with the greatest amount of ethnic diversity in students, faculty and programs.
"This is not the first such recognition we have received," said Peter Winograd, associate dean of UNM's School of Law. "We were also recently voted the second best law school in the country for Hispanic students by Hispanic Business Magazine."
The award for diversity focuses on the achievements of the individual law school in promoting diversity on its campus in the legal education and the legal profession.
This includes full and equal participation by students of diverse race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability and sexual orientation.
According to the grant, the winning law school's commitment is always towards eliminating bias in law schools, in the legal profession and in the justice system.
"We really reach out to undergraduates across the state by visiting every college campus and making sure that they know about our unique program," Winograd said.
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A diverse legal course listing, mandatory classes that are commonly electives at many other schools and a diverse population of professors and students are all factors that have helped the School of Law reach a national reputation for ethnic diversity.
"The friendly atmoshphere and the presitgious history of this law school makes it stand out against the rest," said Susan Carter, a first year law student.
"The awards and recognition it receives show just how unique it really is."
Of the 113 first-year law students at the school, 43 students, or 38 percent, are reported to be of some ethnic minority.
"This is nothing new," said Winograd. "We have had nearly consistent numbers for a number of years."
Although some students were initially attracted to the school for various reasons, diversity factors are considered by some to be one of the program's major advantages.
"UNM's law school just seemed like it had more of a comfortable environment," said Julie Gellardo, one of this year's 30 first-year Hispanic students.
"The diversity of the professors and students promotes a friendly atmoshphere to everyone looking into law school, and although I came here because of the incentives of living in state, those traits would have definitely attracted me to this school," she said.
Of the countless diversity initiatives accomplished, UNM's School of Law has found several to be particularly significant in their search for a more diverse campus.
The National Race Judicata Law Conference and the Spring Storm Community Service Event, gave students, faculty and staff, of both the law school and the University a chance to engage in a wide range of community service projects.
UNM has also received several other highly prestigious awards, including the National Hispanic Bar Association's Law Student Group of the Year Award, for its efforts in encouraging and assisting minority students to attend law school through community service involvement.
"We focus on every facet of the legal profession, ensuring that the attorneys we produce are as capable as they can possibly be," Winograd said.
Winograd added that the school will use its awards to its fullest advantage, especially to recruit and retain students.
"Once you have a reputation for being a diverse campus, only good things can happen," added Winograd.
"What this all means is that success breeds success."
