On a campus full of ambitious, forward-thinking students, it is no surprise that many pre-law clubs and societies have formed for students from all walks of life. However, Villanova did not have an organization dedicated solely to Hispanic students interested in pre-law resources until now. Lawtino Villanova, founded by sophomores Alondra Calva-Giron and Emily Melo, just held its first general body meeting after being established on campus this semester.
“We work to bridge the gap in Hispanic representation within the legal field,” Calva-Giron said. “We do that through professional development, internship resources, LSAT prep. We do that while navigating real-world challenges and also our cultural challenges as Hispanics in the legal field.”
The legal field can seem foggy and intimidating to students who have never been exposed to resources, experience and information. The point of joining a pre-law society is to clear much of that uncertainty up. With a particular focus on their own community, the co-founders of Lawtino are cultivating a uniquely tailored environment to Hispanic students on Villanova’s campus.
“I’m very passionate about Hispanic initiatives, especially on a campus like Villanova being a PWI,” Calva-Giron said. “I felt that I didn’t really have a space to go to when it came to really navigating what career I wanted to do.”
Identity is incredibly important to the inception and mission of this club. Even beyond the educational and professional value of joining a pre-law society, the simple solidarity of creating this new community is important in its own right.
“[I wanted to] create a space on campus where we all share a cultural identity while working through the challenges of what it means for us to go to law school,” Calva-Giron explained.
Calva-Giron and Melo saw their vision realized when they held their inaugural meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3. They had tempered their expectations at first, as new clubs might often take a few weeks to truly gain a consistent base. However, those expectations were far exceeded. From supportive friends and potential new e-board members to interested freshmen who braved the meeting on their own, the co-founders were left with an impressive turnout.
“I was surprised by the turnout and super thankful for everyone that came,” Calva-Giron said. “I was really nervous [at first], but honestly everyone there just had such a positive energy that it just took the awkwardness away from me.”
Emboldened by the success of their first meeting, Calva-Giron and Melo already have countless ideas for how Lawtino can expand and offer more to its growing community. Once its e-board is finalized, this club will be ready to take off.
“We’re looking to do an off-campus event with a business law firm,” Calva-Giron shared. “Then also [we’re planning] a ‘Noche Networking’ event, or ‘night of networking,’ on campus, where we’re going to invite faculty and other people in the professional legal field. We’re also hoping to host a Jeopardy LSAT night.”
With so much to look forward to, it is no wonder that Lawtino has already seen such encouraging numbers at their meetings. The co-founders worked for months last semester to bring this idea into reality, and becoming established is only the beginning.
It can be easy to become bogged down by Villanova’s over-involvement culture, but clubs like this can ground students in their career goals. Exposure to the legal field and other students interested in pursuing similar career paths is critical to the process of deciding one’s plan beyond Villanova.
“If I were to tell [students] one thing, it would be to not be afraid to join the club and seek help and talk to people,” Calva-Giron said. “I feel like we never really get that exposure … and it will bring you to that and help you to see if you’re really interested in the legal field.”
Lawtino’s next event will be a Jeopardy night on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Updates on its events and the resources they have available can be found on its Instagram @lawtinovillanova.
