Law & Policy Program

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts speaking at the Robert H. Jackson Center. Every summer, select Allegheny College students work at the Jackson Center as research assistants and interns–activities that are part of the L&P Program at Allegheny.

The Law & Policy Program is a concentration that blends students’ academic goals and preparation in international and domestic law and policy with on-going opportunities in career education, internships, study away, civic learning, and community programming.

The Program in Law and Policy provides opportunities for students to explore law and policy from theory to practice. Through integrated courses and collaborative learning experiences including campus and community workshops, lectures, and internship opportunities, students are able to engage public policy and learn how policies emerge, are implemented, evaluated, and changed.

In collaboration with the Political Science Department, the Law & Policy Program integrates students’ academic coursework with issues, activities, and opportunities for pre-professional development in areas of great public importance.

How it Works

Once you have been accepted into the Program, you are responsible for working with the Center for Political Participation (CPP) Student Fellows to track and document – via reflective entries in your portfolio – progress through the L&P Program.

CPP Student Fellows will be your peer leaders, working alongside faculty and administrators to ensure that you have a successful and rewarding experience with the Law & Policy Program.

To complete the concentration in Law & Policy, you must accumulate and document 120 “points.” Different activities and experiences carry different values. You will work with Program coordinators and CPP Fellows to identify experiences that count towards the concentration.

Sample Law and Policy Program Activities*

  • Robert H. Jackson Center event (5 points)
  • L&P approved Internship (20 points)
  • ACRoSS /Independent Research/Senior Project with L&P focus (20 points)
  • Study Away with L&P focus (20 points)
  • Quigley Town Hall (5 points)
  • Workshop/Speaker/Performance/Film (5 points)
  • Student Government, Campus Newspaper (5 through 20 points/position)
  • Pre-Law/Grad School/National Fellowship Events and Advising (5 points)
  • Career Education Events (5 points)
  • Linked Courses and Senior Comprehensive Project (20 points each, no more than 60 total)
    • For Example: A student may count 2 courses plus their senior comprehensive project for a total of 60 points OR 3 courses and no senior comprehensive project for a total of 60 points.

*This is not an exhaustive list, see below for past events.

Students in the Law & Policy Program develop portfolios that serve to document your progress through the Program. For example, complete portfolios would include such items as personal statements for law school and grad school applications, awards, reflection papers on workshops, independent research, study away, civic engagement courses and programs, coursework, senior projects, and other items that reflect your developing interests in law and policy. Completed portfolios will be submitted in April of your senior year to a review committee of faculty and administrators. At that point, an exit interview is scheduled, the portfolio is evaluated, and the concentration in Law & Policy is granted.

The Endeavor Foundation Awards $248,070 Grant to Allegheny College Law & Policy Program

The Endeavor Foundation has awarded a $248,070 grant to Allegheny College to support the college’s Law & Policy Program, which provides opportunities for students to explore law and policy from theory to practice.

Read more about grant

Introducing Law & Policy: Global Affairs Focus 

The Global Affairs focus in the Law & Policy Program is open to students who seek to explore possible career paths as well as academic interests that reflect international law and policy themes. Global Affairs programming has included study away opportunities, internships, the International Humanitarian Law Dialogues, foreign service career workshops, short courses, senior projects, Quigley Town Halls, and many other opportunities that focus on international law and global challenges.

Read more about the focus

Apply Now

PLEASE NOTE: To access the application, make sure your internet browser is Google Chrome and you are logged into your Allegheny email account.
If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact us, or a CPP Fellow.  For prospective and current students, check out our Admissions webinar that highlights all aspects of the Law and Policy program in a live setting!  Click here for the webinar.

Allegheny's Jackson Center interns and Center for Political Participation fellows meeting with the late civil rights leader, Julian Bond.
Allegheny’s Jackson Center interns and Center for Political Participation fellows meeting with the late civil rights leader, Julian Bond.
Gator Group Studies and L&P participants discuss a film on inequalities in legal representation
Gator Group Studies and L&P participants discuss a film on inequalities in legal representation
The International Humanitarian Law Dialogues, hosted by the Robert H. Jackson Center, are regularly attended by Allegheny students and faculty. It is one of the only opportunities for the prosecutors of international criminal tribunals to gather annually.
The International Humanitarian Law Dialogues, hosted by the Robert H. Jackson Center, are regularly attended by Allegheny students and faculty. It is one of the only opportunities for the prosecutors of international criminal tribunals to gather annually.
Allegheny CPP Fellow Aurora Arop (right) meeting with Fatou Bensouda (left), the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
Allegheny CPP Fellow Aurora Arop (right) meeting with Fatou Bensouda (left), the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
Caroline Kaeb, of Northwestern Law School, speaking on the Alien Tort Claims Act and the Kiobel case.
Caroline Kaeb, of Northwestern Law School, speaking on the Alien Tort Claims Act and the Kiobel case.
2-bond

From left to right Peter Schwartz '64, June Fair '64, Rev. James Lawson, and Rick Momeyer '64 gathered for the first time since their days together at Fisk University in 1962. At that time, Allegheny had an exchange program with Fisk, a program in which Schwartz, Fair, and Momeyer participated. Rev. James Lawson was a key leader in the civil rights movement and provided important non-violent protest training to students like Schwartz, Fair, and Momeyer at Fisk.
From left to right Peter Schwartz ’64, June Fair ’64, Rev. James Lawson, and Rick Momeyer ’64 gathered for the first time since their days together at Fisk University in 1962. At that time, Allegheny had an exchange program with Fisk, a program in which Schwartz, Fair, and Momeyer participated. Rev. James Lawson was a key leader in the civil rights movement and provided important non-violent protest training to students like Schwartz, Fair, and Momeyer at Fisk.
Filmmaker Dawn Porter discusses her film, Gideon's Army. We also hosted a screening of her recent documentary, Spies of Mississippi.
Filmmaker Dawn Porter discusses her film, Gideon’s Army. We also hosted a screening of her recent documentary, Spies of Mississippi.
Prof. Duane Windsor (Rice University) with President Clinton's Ambassador for War Crimes, Davis Scheffer of Northwestern University (right). The two panelists discussed multinational corporations and human rights as part of a mini-conference hosted by Allegheny College.
Prof. Duane Windsor (Rice University) with President Clinton’s Ambassador for War Crimes, Davis Scheffer of Northwestern University (right). The two panelists discussed multinational corporations and human rights as part of a mini-conference hosted by Allegheny College.
Gabe Sanchez is associate professor of political science and executive director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico. He is also director of research for Latino Decisions, the leading survey firm focused on the Latino population in the U.S.
Gabe Sanchez is associate professor of political science and executive director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico. He is also director of research for Latino Decisions, the leading survey firm focused on the Latino population in the U.S.

Voting Rights Symposium (2015) at Jackson Center

On May 5, 2015, the Robert H. Jackson Center located in Jamestown N.Y., hosted a symposium entitled “Reflections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965”. The panelists included Reuben Ortenberg, David Lollis and, by video, Robert Fine. It was led by the Center’s co-founder Greg Peterson. For further information see roberthjackson.org.

John Aldrich (Allegheny class of 1969) speaking with students during the conference on Voting Rights and Democratic Participation. Aldrich is the Pfizer-Pratt University Professor of Political Science at Duke University.
John Aldrich (Allegheny class of 1969) speaking with students during the conference on Voting Rights and Democratic Participation. Aldrich is the Pfizer-Pratt University Professor of Political Science at Duke University.
50 years later, Allegheny students visit with participants in Freedom Summer as part of a travel seminar on the legacies of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The class traveled through GA, AL, MS, TN, and NC in the fall of 2014.
50 years later, Allegheny students visit with participants in Freedom Summer as part of a travel seminar on the legacies of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The class traveled through GA, AL, MS, TN, and NC in the fall of 2014.
A few members of Allegheny's political science department enjoy a lecture
A few members of Allegheny’s political science department enjoy a lecture
In anticipation of an exciting 2016 election cycle, we revisit election night 2012.
In anticipation of an exciting 2016 election cycle, we revisit election night 2012.