Dear Friend:
My father, Ronald H. Brown, graduated from St. John's University
School of Law in 1970. Like so many students of color, he was the
first member of our family to go to law school. I was fortunate
enough to fol/ow in his footsteps and obtain my law degree from St.
John's in 1992 My father and I were always appreciative of the fine
legal education that St. John's afforded us. My father believed
that it was his St. John's legal education that helped prepare him
to become the first AfricanAmerican United States Secretary of
Commerce.
Although my father is no longer with us, I know that he would be
very proud of the world-class efforts of The Ronald H. Brown Center
at St. John's University School of Law to honor his legacy and his
commitment to diversity through its groundbreaking programs. For
these reasons, I ask that you join me in providing financial
support at this critical time to help sustain the Center's
aI/important programs.
Although the U.S. recently made history by electing the first
African American, who is also a lawyer, as its president, students
of color are finding it harder and harder to be admitted into law
school. There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of
students of color attending the fifteen New York law schools. St.
John's stands against this tide and has a 2008 entering class
consisting of 31 % students of color. The Ronald H. Brown Center
has several signature programs that have helped St. John's achieve
these successes, as well as other efforts that serve the greater
goal of increasing diversity in the legal profession and advancing
civil rights.
Students who complete
The Ronald H. Brown Prep Program have seen an increase in their
overall undergraduate grade point averages, and a dramatic increase
in their LSAT scores. Graduates of the Prep Program are currently
attending law schools across the country, and credit their success
to the benefits they received through the Program.
Although The Ronald H. Brown Center has already achieved
concrete results in diversifying the legal profession and has
become a nationally recognized resource, much of its achievements
have been financed through short-term grants, which are often small
and term limited. To create more opportunities for achievement,
especially for promising students of color, The Ronald H. Brown
Center needs a sustained base of financial support.
I ask that you consider making a donation in
support of The Ronald H. Brown Center. A contribution of $1,000
will designate you a Diversity Champion, a contribution of $500
will designate you a Diversity leader, and contribution of $100
will designate you a Diversity Fellow.
Your support, regardless of the size of your gift, is critical
to ensuring the continued success of this initiative. Only by us
working together can we help increase the diversity of the legal
profession and advance broader goals of social justice through
law.
Thank you in advance for your generous support.
Sincerely,
Tracey L. Brown, Esq.
Honorary Chair, The Ronald H. Brown Steering Committee
St. John's University
The Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic
Development
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
Ronald.H.BrownCtr@stjohns.edu
Phone (718) 990-8076
Fax (718) 990-2199