As the Covid-19 pandemic has taken hold and forced the UConn School of Law and its students off campus, alumni have stepped up to help in many ways. Their generous gifts of time and financial support have provided vital assistance to admissions, career development, student services and other aspects of the law school’s operation.
Law Students First Fund
The virus and the shift to online instruction have challenged all UConn Law students, and the pandemic has directly threatened some with illness, job loss and financial adversity. The law school and the UConn Foundation have responded with the Law Students First Fund, which provides grants to students who have experienced an unanticipated hardship.
“The student need right now is significant. They are making difficult decisions try and make ends meet,” said Jennifer Cerny, the assistant dean of students. “The bottom line is that this period in time is stressful and scary enough without having to worry about how to put food on the table or pay for housing.”
Please consider a donation, which can be made through the UConn Foundation website.
Career Development
The Alumni in Residence program, which brought graduates to campus for informal chats with students interested in their fields of practice, has been reinvented as the Alumni Online program. Graduates from a wide variety of practice areas continue to volunteer to share their professional experiences, now via Webex conferences open to students—and to other alumni. The Center for Career Development is also continuing to arrange career panel discussions to be held via video conference.
The contact with alumni is crucial to students, said Suzanne Hard, director of the Center for Career Development. “These relationships are significant factors in employment outcomes for our students,” she said. “Alumni provide direct support to current students, and also help create and sustain long-term recruiting relationships.”
Alumni interested in assisting the Center for Career Development may email suzanne.hard@uconn.edu.
Admissions
Graduates have been volunteering for the Alumni Spotlight Series, meeting with small groups of admitted students in video conferences to share their experiences in the students’ fields of interest. Others have called admitted students or arranged one-on-one video chats to help those students navigate the decisions ahead of them.
“Admitted students face the daunting task of choosing where to attend law school in an uncertain economic environment, some without ever having a chance to see the campus,” Admissions Director Lauren Majchrowski said. “The opportunity to connect with alumni has worked to calm nerves and provide a glimpse of the law school community from those who know it best.”
Alumni who wish to volunteer their time with admitted students should email lauren.majchrowski@uconn.edu.
UConn Health Center
The UConn Health Center is treating Covid-19 patients now, and urgently needs personal protective equipment for the medical staff. If you can provide new, unused N95 respirator face masks, disposable face masks, face-shields or goggles, disinfection wipes or liquids, or general-purpose hand cleaners, please email covid19donations@uchc.edu to arrange a donation. The health center is also accepting homemade masks for employees in non-clinical areas.
Charitable contributions to the UConn Health COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund will also help provide vital supplies for treating patients with Covid-19 and protecting frontline doctors, nurses, and staff. Every gift—whether it’s $5 or $500—will make a difference. Please visit the UConn Foundation website contact plamothe@foundation.uconn.edu or call 203-928-8434 to donate.
