Current Students Host Oz Applicants
Osgoode Hall’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) hosted their annual Opportunity Day event on Saturday 17 October. BLSA members welcomed nearly sixty event participants, most of whom are people of colour, and all of whom are planning to apply to law school within the next year or two. “Opportunity Day is a chance for current undergraduates, high school students, and those who may have been in the workforce for a while to come and learn about law school and the application process from the people who have been through it most recently,” said Jessica Hardy-Henry, BLSA’s Academic Advisor and lead organizer of Opportunity Day. Hardy-Henry further notes that “we highlight Osgoode’s unique features with a session geared towards informing the participants about why Osgoode is great and why we all ultimately chose to get our education here.”
The objective of Opportunity Day is to give potential law school applicants from the black community the chance to learn about the law school and the associated experiences – everything from the application process, to funding sources, and beyond – from black students who have been successful in the process and are currently in law school. Blacks and other racialized people still face discrimination and alienation in the legal community in Ontario. Opportunity Day allows black students who are thinking about law school to come and hear about the whole law school experience first hand from other black students – an exercise that can go a long way in building morale. Although the event is hosted by BLSA, potential applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to participate. Opportunity Day typically takes place during the winter term, but BLSA opted to plan an additional event this year with the intent of attracting those who are planning to apply in the upcoming cycle with a November 1 deadline.
The day began at 10:00 am with a light breakfast and registration. The session then kicked off with attendees hearing from Legal & Literary Society President Bethany McKoy, who spoke about her experiences at school and what makes the Osgoode community a great place to be a law student. Visiting Scholar and Professor Jamil Jivani spoke about his background, why he chose to become a part of the Osgoode community and the opportunity he had to develop the course he currently teaches, Community Organizing and the Law. Professor Jivani further detailed the combined elements of theoretical learning, practical experience and reflection that are offered in his course. Session attendees also heard about the diverse programming offered at Osgoode, including the myriad experiential learning opportunities that students can apply to participate in. Following this, members of the BLSA executive were introduced and shared an impressively diverse array of extracurricular activities and summer work experiences. Opportunity Day participants were encouraged to reach out and discuss similar areas of interest or ask questions of BLSA exec members. The group was then split up and received a tour of Osgoode, covering everything from the moot court to lockers and the library to the JCR (and associated Wednesday evening bar offerings). During lunch BLSA members were busy interacting with participants and answering questions about the application process, available areas of study and how to merge undergraduate interests with various areas of law. The afternoon concluded around 3:00 pm, following a 1L panel organized by BLSA Mentorship Coordinator Camille Walker, who is currently in her second year as a member of Osgoode’s Admissions Committee. The panel gave Opportunity Day participants the chance to hear from some of this year’s 1L students about their approaches to the application process and students’ various experiences prior to attending Osgoode. There was a thorough review of the law school application process, tips on how to make an application stand out, and then the floor was also opened up to questions from the audience.
In addition to all of this, Opportunity Day also gave BLSA the chance to highlight and inform participants about one of their flagship offerings: the LSAT Bursary. Each year, BLSA carries out fundraising efforts to raise money for a bursary that covers the cost of a LSAT preparatory course offered through Harvard Ready. With the knowledge that LSAT prep courses can be an unattainable expense for some, BLSA’s goal with the bursary initiative is to work towards strengthening the applications of black law school applicants and thereby increase the representation of blacks in the legal profession. “BLSA is proud to be able to fund this bursary annually and help to provide access to LSAT prep to someone who may otherwise not be able to attend such a course,” said BLSA Co-President, Mary Owusu.
BLSA’s annual Halloween Candy Gram fundraiser, which brings in funds for the LSAT Bursary, begins on Monday 19 October and runs until Thursday 29 October. With a table set up in Gowlings Hall, students can purchase candy packs to be delivered to friends on 29 and 30 October.
Know someone who is planning to apply to law school but wasn’t able to make it out to this Opportunity Day? Not to worry! BLSA will be hosting another Opportunity Day next semester, and anyone is welcome to attend. For information on location, date and registration for the next Opportunity Day, please visit BLSA’s website at: http://blsaosgoode.com/