On January 24, the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and the School of Public Policy met at the Alumni House to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of the Minor in Law, Science, and Technology (LST). Since the beginning of the program, hundreds of students have taken advantage of the minor and the program that surrounds it.
Dr. Roberta Berry, associate vice provost for undergraduate education and executive director of the Honors Program, was among the guests. Berry developed the minor as a faculty member in the School of Public Policy.
The Celebration was a great occasion—a room overflowing with alumni attorneys, past and current students, and leadership at the Institute, College, and Program levels," said Berry. "These are the people who built this Program, from its beginnings when I joined Georgia Tech in 1999, to the exceptional Program that serves our students today. There was a lot of Jacket warmth and pride in the room.
Berry recalls meeting with a “small but energetic” crew of Georgia Tech pre-law students soon after her arrival at Georgia Tech in 1999 to chart a future for the program, which she had taken over following the death of founding director William Read. While the goal of the minor has always been to help students decide if a career in law is right for them and to help them excel in law school, the curriculum has evolved over the years.
Initially, students had to take two core Public Policy courses and had 20 elective classes from which to choose. They now can choose from four core course offerings and 40 electives offered by the College of Computing, the Scheller College of Business, and several schools in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.
In 20 years, Georgia Tech has built a Law, Science & Technology Program that is a point of pride for the Institute. Our pre-law students can now earn a minor, or a pre-law certificate, or an intellectual property certificate," said Berry. "They can participate in one of the nation’s leading Mock Trial teams. And they can receive expert and personalized pre-law advising from Professor Chad Slieper, Director of the Law, Science, and Technology Program, who continues to creatively and energetically advance the Program.
Read more about the LST program: A Hub for Law, Science, and Technology in the School of Public Policy.