The Center for Equity and Justice (CEJ) is dedicated to promoting social justice and creating equal opportunities for marginalized communities in the legal profession and beyond. Our initiatives foster a new generation of lawyers committed to dismantling systemic barriers and promoting equity across various sectors of society.
Center for Equity and Justice
Pathway Program
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A 12-week Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT, prep course supported by a $40,000 grant from the Law School Admission Council offers free instruction to students in Pennsylvania and Arkansas. The program isn’t just about improving test scores; it’s about empowering students with the skills and confidence they need to thrive in law school and beyond. Through personalized teaching and mentorship, participants have achieved life-changing improvements in their LSAT scores, opening doors to legal careers that might otherwise be inaccessible.
Guided Journey PLUS Program
Also in partnership with the Law School Admission Council through a $110,000 grant, serves 1000 aspiring law students nationwide. This 12-week initiative provides small, supportive cohorts with intensive LSAT prep, targeting first-generation, rural, and students of color. Led by top instructors who have excelled on the LSAT and whose backgrounds reflect the diversity of the students they teach, the program is about more than just test preparation. It fosters a sense of belonging, builds confidence, and equips students with the tools they need to navigate the challenges of legal education.
Dean's Diversity Forum
The Dean's Diversity Forum was founded by Linda Ammons, Widener's former dean. CEJ now organizes this annual program that brings together some of the nation's most creative and innovative thinkers to discuss a new topic each year. You can view several of the past diversity forums on the corresponding WLC YouTube playlist.
Enhanced Community Policing Project
In partnership with a major Fortune #500 corporation, this project analyzes policing practices in low-income and communities of color, with the goal of improving community-police relations and creating fairer enforcement practices. Research will focus on retail theft of necessity—such as food and baby diapers—and how law enforcement should justly address such incidents in the retail sector.
Economic Justice Initiatives
The Center for Equity and Justice plans to collaborate with community development financial institutions to provide small business loans to formerly incarcerated individuals and marginalized populations. By promoting entrepreneurship, the center aims to lift people out of poverty and empower them to rebuild their lives.
Student Fellowships
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The center offers paid fellowships to engage the projects above, enabling law students to perform transformative social justice work. Fellows contribute to key initiatives, including the Pathway Program and the Enhanced Community Policing Project, gaining hands-on experience that bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world application.
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Student Fellows' Spotlight
Brianna Bitler ’27
“I decided to pursue a legal education because I want to continue helping others and work toward ensuring equal access to legal services.”
Haley Nelson ’27
“This is real work we’re doing to impact real people’s lives. People are desperate to get into this program. This is not a light lift.”
Darryl Hunt Jr. ’26
“Success to me looks like fighting for justice, fairness and equality. Being someone that doesn’t just seek a conviction but seeks justice and equal treatment of the justice system for all.”
Gabe Kuehn ’26
"Most law students want to obtain a law degree because they have some instinct of representing someone who doesn't have a voice to speak on their own behalf."
Ely Zeigler ’26
"Success to me means helping people who can’t afford an attorney and using that experience to guide the next generation of lawyers."
Tara Smith ’25
“When I learned about the Pathway Program, I knew I had to get involved. Connecting students to LSAT prep and law school resources helps build real opportunities.”
