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Although my giving page is no longer active, you can still donate. If you would like to provide any additional support, please do so here.
Although my giving page is no longer active, you can still donate. If you would like to provide any additional support, please do so here.
My name is Kaia Woodford. At Ohio State, I serve on the student advisory council of the Morrill Scholars Program. I am also an executive board member of the Law and Society Scholars program. Off campus, I serve as a founding board member of the Bexley Anti-Racism Project. Over the summers, I work as a Summer Work Experience in Law (SWEL) Scholar. I am passionate about the intersection of law and social justice, specifically equity in education.
Established in 1982 as the Minority Scholars Program, the Morrill Scholarship Program (MSP) is Ohio State's premier diversity/merit scholarship program, rewarding academically talented students who are actively engaged in diversity-based leadership, service and social justice activities. MSP funding alleviates the financial burdens for selected students to ensure they have the freedom of time and energy to uphold the service-oriented mission of the program. Morrill Scholars engage in service, complete program specific course work, build relationships with program mentors and benefit from community-building programming.
Like the Morrill Scholars Program, SWEL meets the needs of scholars by fostering a diverse community of supportive peers and faculty that supplies opportunities for professional and personal development.
Developed in 1988 by retired Cincinnati lawyer and longtime volunteer program director Jim Johnson, SWEL is designed to foster academic, personal, and professional growth through real-world legal experiences, community service opportunities, internship placements, and networking opportunities with legal professionals and law students. Through legal internships and weekly SWEL forums and seminars, underrepresented students gain exposure to legal career options and the law school application process.
As a first-generation aspiring law student, I recognized the importance of a pipeline program that supports diverse talent pursuing careers in the legal field. Compared to peers with family backgrounds in the law, I felt like a fish out of water at the mention of the LSAT, clerkships, law school applications, externships, the bar exam and other legal terminology I’d heard in passing. I applied to SWEL in hopes of gaining foundational exposure to the law and — importantly — a supportive network of peers and established legal professionals who look like m) to help guide me through the journey to law school.
My experience as a Morrill Scholar affirmed my passion for equity and facilitated relational development with students and community members of color. I hope to translate that same passion for equity to the legal field by increasing the representation of diverse attorneys in the profession. In addition to pursuing a career in law, I aspire to support other students by expanding the SWEL program through a partnership with MSP. Please join me in supporting this cause by donating to my campaign.
