Rafael Casallas is on a fast track to a career in law and today marks a big聽step along聽the track.
It 麻豆精品 S檚 the first day of law school for the 19-year-old legal studies senior, who is attending Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law through a 3+3 Accelerated Law Program established by UCF and Barry Law.
Casallas is the first student in the program, which will enable him to complete a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree and a law degree in six years rather than the traditional seven, saving a year of time and tuition expenses.
麻豆精品 S淭his program works perfectly for me, 麻豆精品 S� said Casallas, who earned an associate degree from Valencia College while completing his diploma at Lake Nona High School.
In addition to reducing his time in college, the program is enabling Casallas to begin law school now because Barry offers a spring start date for new students. In fact, Barry is one of just a few accredited law programs to offer this option.
Casallas also was attracted to Barry 麻豆精品 S檚 close proximity to UCF and his family, who moved from Colombia to Central Florida when he was seven.
Establishing an accelerated law program was a top goal for Professor James Beckman when he served as inaugural chair of the Department of Legal Studies from 2011 to 2016.
麻豆精品 S淭he fact that Barry Law is in Orlando made it a perfect partner for a 3+3 program, 麻豆精品 S� said Beckman. 麻豆精品 S淪tudents who have obligations tying them to Orlando or who cannot afford to leave Orlando can achieve both degrees here and a year earlier than normal. 麻豆精品 S�
As a legal studies major, Casallas already has been exposed to the topics he 麻豆精品 S檒l encounter in his first year of law school.
麻豆精品 S淥ur curriculum includes legal research, legal writing, property, civil practice, criminal law, torts, constitutional law and contracts, 麻豆精品 S� said Rupert Neish,聽professional advisor for the legal studies program. 麻豆精品 S淟aw school admission reps say our students tend to be well-prepared for their first year of law school. 麻豆精品 S�
Casallas said he has聽 麻豆精品 S渓oved the legal studies major 麻豆精品 S� and would recommend it to anyone. 麻豆精品 S淭he professors really help you out, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淓veryone wants to help you succeed. 麻豆精品 S�
Alisa Smith, chair of the Department of Legal Studies since July 2016, said the accelerated law program 麻豆精品 S渋s a great opportunity for motivated students. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淭he best candidates for the program are students who have thought about law聽school for years, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淭hey 麻豆精品 S檒l have an advantage working with the legal studies program early in their college career and in successfully completing the intensive 3+3 experience. 麻豆精品 S�
To be considered for the accelerated law program, UCF students must declare a legal studies major, apply to the accelerated program in their freshman or sophomore year, and attend college full time. Students in the accelerated program must meet the eligibility and admission requirements at Barry Law to gain admission.
Casallas said he feels ready for law school thanks to his education at UCF and his use of daily exercise to relieve stress. 麻豆精品 S淚f you have a healthy body, you have a healthy mind, 麻豆精品 S� he said.
Barry Law student Clyde Lemon approved. 麻豆精品 S淜eep that mentality. You 麻豆精品 S檙e going to need it, 麻豆精品 S� he said. As a third-year student, Lemon knows the law school well. 麻豆精品 S淲e call ourselves the Barry Law Family, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e always willing to help each other out. We 麻豆精品 S檙e all going through the same thing. 麻豆精品 S�
Casallas recently attended Admit Day for incoming students at Barry Law. 麻豆精品 S淚t was amazing. I met a lot of interesting students and everyone was so excited, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淭hat kind of energy is contagious. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淲e are very excited to have Rafael as our first student in the 3 + 3 program, 麻豆精品 S� said Barry Law Dean Leticia Diaz. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e enthusiastically looking forward to this first admission paving the way for more UCF students in the legal studies program to follow suit and join us here at Barry Law. 麻豆精品 S�
Diaz said she thinks the 3+3 program is an excellent way for students at UCF to seamlessly transition to Barry Law and get an early start on their path to a legal career. 麻豆精品 S淔ortunately, we have amazing faculty and a dedicated staff to help guide students through the process, 麻豆精品 S� she added.
Ten years from now, Casallas hopes to look back and celebrate his decision to attend law school. In the interim, he looks forward to earning his bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 and law degrees and to launching a successful career.
In addition to the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program at Barry, two other accelerated law programs are available to UCF students. For information about UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 program with Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in New York (Long Island), contact rupert.neish@ucf.edu. For information about UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 program with Florida State University of Law, open to all majors, contact the UCF Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Advising at phpladvising@ucf.edu. The first UCF student to enter the accelerated law program at FSU began last fall (see ).
(Photo by Abi Bell)