AccessLex Institute Awards Nearly $225,000 in Grants

Washington, D.C. (June 17, 2020) - AccessLex Institute and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) have announced the winners of nearly $225,000 in grants awarded through their annual Research and Dissertation Fellows Program. The program is funded by AccessLex Institute and administered by the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) to promote scholarship on issues related to access, affordability and the value of graduate and professional education. Grants of up to $50,000 for scholars and $25,000 for doctoral students are awarded to help fund year-long research projects.

“At AccessLex, one of our primary goals is to identify and counteract the barriers to admission and success for underrepresented groups in higher education,” said AccessLex President and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher P. Chapman. “Especially in this current political and societal moment, it has never been more important to fund and promote efforts to increase meaningful diversity, and so we are proud to partner with AIR to support the critical work of these grantees.”

The selected proposals can be viewed on AIR’s website. This year’s recipients are:

• Nicholas Bowman, University of Iowa, $49,712
  Title: Promoting the Representation and Success of Students from Minoritized Racial Groups at U.S. Law Schools
• Willis Jones, University of Kentucky, $50,000
  Title: Examining the determination, consistency, and variation of law school cost of living estimations
• Kelly Rosinger, Pennsylvania State University, $50,000
  Title: Exploring the Impact of LSAT-Optional Admissions on Law School Diversity and Selectivity

• Krista Soria, University of Minnesota, $49,794
  Title: The Role Financial Factors in Graduate, Professional, and Law Students’ Mental Health, Time to Degree, and Career Interests
• Chad Losee, University of Pennsylvania, $25,000
  Title: Barriers to Access at Highly Selective MBA Programs

Since launching its grantmaking activities in 2014, AccessLex Institute has awarded over $10 million in support of its research priorities.

About AccessLex Institute: In partnership with its nearly 200 nonprofit and state-affiliated ABA-approved member law schools, AccessLex Institute has been committed to improving access to legal education and to maximizing the affordability and value of a law degree since 1983. The AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence advocates for policies that make legal education work better for students and society alike and conducts research on the most critical issues facing legal education today. The AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability offers on-campus and online financial education programming and resources to help students confidently manage their finances on their way to achieving personal and professional success. Learn more at AccessLex.org.