Faith and Justice
Faith and Justice Spring Break Trip to National Memorial for Peace and Justice--Montgomery, Alabama
Beginning in 2022, the Nootbaar Institute, together with the law school’s Office of Student Life, Diversity and Belonging, has sponsored the Faith and Justice Trip to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama during the second half of the law school spring break. The National Memorial was developed by attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of the book Just Mercy to remember victims of lynching and racial violence in the US. The National Memorial was described in the Washington Post as "one of the most powerful and effective new memorials created in a generation."
The purpose of this trip is to provide a group of law students with a transformative, intimate and faith-based experience in which to explore questions of race, justice, law, and ethics. Together with several members of the law school faculty, participants will share meals and debrief together, and will be encouraged to share their reflections upon visiting the National Memorial through the lens of their faith, personal values, legal education and career goals. Travel, lodging and reasonable group meal costs will be covered. The trip is open to all J.D. students, and requires an application process.
View the application form for the 2023 trip, due December 20, 2022.
2022 Faith and Justice Trip
Student Testimonials:
“The faith and justice trip was a poignant reminder of why Christians are called to justice in all aspects of their lives. It was a reminder that both faith and the law have been used to oppress people in horrific ways. Thus, as a Christian pursuing law there is added responsibility to participate in making things right. This trip helped me put my future career in perspective and rededicate myself to the pursuit of justice.” - Katlyn Koegel (JD ‘22)
“Collectively immersing ourselves in the deeply uncomfortable history of racial injustice in this country, emotionally investing in the hard conversations & grieving in the silence all made for a stirring experience so powerful it was almost palpable. My admiration for my peers & faculty on this trip is boundless & no other experience in my 1L year compares.” – Brandi Coleman
“The Faith and Justice 2022 Spring Break trip offered one of the most meaningful experiences of my academic career. A weekend of learning, lament, reflection, and connection, I walked away with a heavy heart, an open mind, and a vision for a more just future. I’d recommend this pilgrimage to any and everyone, both as a way to understand the tragedies of our past and as way to build resolve in how to better ourselves and our nation in the future.” - Cooper McHatton (JD ‘22)