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Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” Two administrators at the University of Kentucky College of Law are encouraging students at the Carter G. Woodson Academy to put Mandela’s quote into action and make a difference through pursuing educational opportunities after high school graduation.

Dean David A. Brennen and Assistant Dean Daniel P. Murphy, Jr. recently spoke with the students at the Academy, a traditional college preparatory program in the Fayette County Public School System that “serves at-promise males in grades 6-12 who have unlimited potential.” The school serves an enrollment of 86% African-American students and tailors its curriculum to “the lens of African-American history, culture and culturally responsive teaching and learning strategies.”

Dean Brennen and Assistant Dean Murphy discussed their personal journeys, and how they made the decision to go to college and further their education through law school. Dean Brennen and Assistant Dean Murphy explained why students should consider a career in law, what those various careers could look like and how the students should go about fulfilling the requirements for getting accepted into law school. They also shared examples of the more detailed analysis required in legal cases, sometimes not understood by the general public.  One example included a discussion of the OJ Simpson criminal case, which some of the students had recently studied, and also how a person could be found “not guilty” in a criminal case but held liable in a civil action in the same matter.

The young men were grateful to hear from two African-American men who had seized their personal education opportunities and excelled in the legal field.

“Having personally faced many of the challenges these students face today, and having children around their ages, makes taking time to encourage minority youth to accept opportunities to further their education and use that education to make a difference in the world a high priority for me,” Dean Brennen explained. “I encourage these young people to use their talents and abilities to leave our society in a better state than they found it. One person can make a difference.”