The sun is shining, the sky is blue and students are heading back to school ­­ law school that is.
About 150 first-year law students arrived Aug. 15 at the Knight Law School to take part in an optional orientation.
The Academic Choice for Excellence (ACE) orientation is a four-day program that includes lectures from University law professors, introduces students to legal research and provides strategies for a successful first year.
“This orientation focuses on academic success,” said Richard Ludwick, assistant dean of student affairs for the law school. “The program lasts all year long, providing review sessions and practice tests.”
According to Ludwick, this year’s new ACE program turnout, about 150 students, was huge. Last year’s orientation program, like past years, only had about 15 students attend.
“I am already one step ahead of my two roommates who didn’t come,” first-year student Jason Klein said.
Along with helping students aim for academic success, the orientation also provides other benefits for first year students.
“It is helpful and it is also lessening fears of law school,” said Denise Espinoza, a first-year student from Arizona.
Espinoza said she came to Oregon because she knows that she wants to practice law in Oregon.
“It is also nice to know that the school is [sixth] in the nation for clerkship,” she said.
The University’s good reputation has been a factor for other first-year students as well.
Anna Lee, a first year student from San Jose, Calif., said Oregon’s high reputation and the geographic location were both factors in her decision to attend.
“I came to Oregon about 20 years ago with an orchestra,” Lee said. “I just remember it being really green and pretty.”
The intrigue of the Pacific Northwest also brought others to Eugene.
“I applied at eight other schools,” said Klein, who is originally from Ohio. “It was really my last choice but after I researched it, it became one of my top two. After visiting it became my top choice.”
Klein said he hopes to eventually go into either environmental law or Internet law.
Other students also like the atmosphere the University offers.
“It is really laidback here,” said Julie Wilson, a first-year student from North Carolina.
Wilson said she also hopes to go into environmental law and possibly work for the EPA doing policy writing.
Not all students have come from out-of-state schools. Conrad Zubel graduated from the University as a business student in 1997.
“I didn’t decide to go straight to law school,” he said. “My dad is an attorney and so are my two uncles, so I was genetically screwed up from the beginning.”
A mandatory orientation in which all first-year and transfer students are required to attend took place Aug. 14-15.