The need for rural lawyers is not just an issue in Kansas - it’s an issue across the country. States and law schools have taken many different approaches to this problem: tuition reimbursement, grants, special programs, and more. One of the biggest factors pulling me to Washburn Law was their continued commitment to rural Kansas.
Washburn Law promotes rural communities in so many ways - student organizations, trips, internship programs, and more. Washburn also holds one very special program, the Hansen Foundation Rural Externship. This externship is a partnership between the Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Northwest Kansas and Washburn Law. Those chosen for this program must complete an internship in one of the 26 counties in Northwest Kansas and they will receive 6 hours of credit with tuition covered (aka, FREE) and a $5,000 living stipend.
I looked into this program before I even started school and pinned it right to the top of my vision board. It sounded like such a great opportunity to serve a community that needs attorneys and gain valuable experience. This program then led me to my full time job after graduation! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Just think about the huge impact each of us law students could make if every year we went to these areas and provided legal services to underserved communities. If other students had half the experience as I did, can you imagine how much our rural communities could thrive?!
This program has been great for both Washburn and Northwest Kansas. Many other law schools can mirror this program in their states to support and promote those rural areas.
For more information on this program go to: https://www.washburnlaw.edu/students/externship/hansen.html
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