The UVA Law School chapter of the Black Law Students Association won Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Year in the medium-size category at the Mid-Atlantic BLSA conference this weekend in Pittsburgh. The group will compete for the National Chapter of the Year award at the national BLSA conference March 7-12 in Houston.
“I am absolutely thrilled and honored that our chapter was recognized as Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Year,” UVA BLSA President Deitra Jones ’18 said. “With this year being our 20th anniversary as a chartered organization at UVA Law, winning this award not only served as further validation of the current executive board’s hard work, but also as a symbol of the tremendous growth of this organization.”
The regional and national chapter awards recognize BLSA groups based on their activities working as advocates for BLSA’s service ideals both at their home law schools and in the broader community. The UVA BLSA’s theme this year was “Celebrating Our Legacy, Preparing Our Leaders, Uplifting Our Family.”
“We all shared a vision of creating a culture of inclusiveness, sociopolitical awareness, community service and camaraderie and worked collectively to achieve this goal,” Jones said.
The UVA BLSA has won Regional Chapter of the Year five times and National Chapter of the Year three times, most recently in 2007.
Jones said she is optimistic about her chapter’s chances for winning the national award in Houston.
“Award or no award, I am extremely proud of my chapter and have been humbled to lead an organization whose members and allies uplift, encourage and support each other,” she said.
Other notable accomplishments for the UVA BLSA at the regional conference included:
- Marwa Abdelaziz ’19 was elected Mid-Atlantic regional chair. This gives her a seat on the BLSA National Executive Board.
- Kim Delk ’19 was elected Mid-Atlantic attorney general, in charge of regional advocacy initiatives.
- Kierstin Fowler ’17 and Jasmine Alves ’19 together won second runner-up in the regional BLSA Moot Court Competition. They will have the opportunity to compete for the national title in Houston.
Founded in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation. Consistently ranked among the top law schools, Virginia is a world-renowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service.
