There’s a lot happening in the undergraduate, pre-law department at Stetson. And not just a small crest, but a monumental wave: a dream from pre-law students to have their own undergraduate chapter of National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) is now coming to fruition.

Collin Hughley ’27 is a political science major from Apopka who saw an inspirational Instagram post last February from his high school friend and former debate teammate who was recently named president of UCF’s NBLSA organization. From the moment he saw that post, it’s been full steam ahead to create such a chapter for pre-law students at Stetson.

Hughley turned to his friends Temiloluwa “Temi” Adediji ‘27, and Tori Watson ‘25 to rapidly yet thoughtfully build this chapter to launch at Stetson.

“The steps to charter our chapter of the NBLSA were quite extensive,” Hughley said.

First, they had to gather seven tentative members to be acknowledged both by Stetson’s Student Government Association (SGA) and the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA).

After paying dues to charter the new chapter, which took almost a full month as the Southern Region of NBLSA was in the process of selecting a new executive board for the upcoming academic year, their team thoroughly drafted a constitution and bylaws for the chapter.

Next, Hughley said they worked closely with Alexandria Belk, associate director of the Cross-Cultural Center at Stetson, to assist throughout this process.

“With the help of Alex, our team at the time — consisting of me, Temi and Tori — conducted interviews with more than 15 people who were interested in the positions that were opened for the executive board,” he explained.

Finally, the executive board transitioned into virtual summer training, where vital steps were taught to e-board members, including how to request event space, budget requests, among other important skills.

Chapter Goals

Hughley outlined three main goals of the chapter that dissect the organization’s mission statement, which is “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black and minority attorneys who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.”

• Increase the representation of African American and minority pre-law students at Stetson University who will, in the future, increase the stagnant 5% of African American attorneys that make up the legal profession.
• Equip NBLSA members with opportunities to thrive not only at Stetson, but off campus as well — whether that be internships or job opportunities.
• Cultivate a tight-knit community on campus that builds leaders who will make an impact in their communities.

“By chartering this chapter here on Stetson’s undergraduate campus, we’ll educate our membership on the disparities our community faces in higher education, specifically law school, so that when they get to law school, it won’t come as a surprise to them,” Hughley explained.

“Along with providing LSAT, personal statement and resume workshops, we ensure our membership is prepared when the application cycle for law school arrives,” Hughley added. “It is vital to note that underrepresented and marginalized communities lack specific resources to even attend undergraduate institutions, let alone graduate programs, so by chartering this chapter of the NBLSA here on the DeLand campus, we set our members ahead in the things statistics prove we’re behind on. That is the goal of our chapter of the NBLSA.”

NBLSA On Campus

The chapter’s first Welcome Event in late August had a strong start to the school year and further propelled the group to host its formal initiation of 23 members on Sept. 24.

“What truly warmed our hearts about the Welcome Event wasn’t the number of people in the room, but the energy — the engagement, excitement and genuine connection,” said Adediji, Stetson’s NSBLA’s co-president. “From the beginning, our vision for NBLSA was to create a tight-knit community, a family, for black and minority pre-law students at Stetson. Being in the minority can sometimes feel isolating, but NBLSA exists to ensure no one goes through this journey alone. Our first event proved that this vision isn’t just possible — it’s becoming a reality.”

Gratitude Abounds

Both Hughley and Adediji acknowledge that launching this chapter took many hours and dedication from a variety of people, including a unique skill set from Watson, a senior English and Sociology double major slated to graduate this December.

“I am deeply grateful for not only having Tori as a friend, but a mentor as well, one who has served as president for three other student organizations on campus,” Hughley said. “Tori has the experience and knowledge that allowed us not only to charter this chapter of the NBLSA here on campus but to orally advocate for those in marginalized communities.

“She has stayed countless nights with me and Temi — from drafting our chapter’s constitution and bylaws to assisting with more behind-the-scenes work,” he added. “Tori’s attention to detail, experience in presidential duties, along with her passion for advocacy and justice have truly made the biggest difference in what our chapter is today.”

Watson was equally complementary of Adediji and Hughley’s work to launch the NBLSA chapter at Stetson.

“Many people only notice the end result of an initiative, but Collin and Temi have put in endless hours — working tirelessly and, most importantly, passionately to increase the number of culturally responsible black and minority pre-law students who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact their communities,” Watson said.

She added that the group was also indebted to Sven Smith, PhD, JD, pre-law chair and associate professor of Sociology, a practicing attorney and the NBLSA chapter advisor at Stetson.

“What I admire most is that his investment extends far beyond one student, he intentionally pours into everyone he can,” Watson said. “I know I will carry the lessons I’ve learned from Dr. Smith throughout my career, and I believe NBLSA will also reflect and carry forward the same spirit of his influence.”

“Now, we’re thriving with an amazing executive board, relationships built with those in our community, and those in the spaces we aspire to be one day,” Hughley said. “We’re in the process of creating a close-knit community of black and minority pre-law students here at Stetson’s undergraduate campus, and I’m more than grateful for the support of my colleagues, peers, friends and mentors, of whom there are too many to name. We have exciting plans for this academic year for our membership and Stetson University as a whole.”

Other Pre-Law Initiatives

Alongside the addition of NBLSA on campus are some initiatives being pursued under the helm of, Joshua Rust, PhD, as the pre-law director.

Professor Rust has been a faculty member at Stetson since 2007, at which time he was appointed assistant professor of Philosophy. In the summer of 2024, Rust was appointed Pre-Law Director and spent his first year focused on stabilizing the program after a period of turnover in the role.

Some expansions are underway that include a second pre-law minor called “Law, Society, and Advocacy” that would award course credit for participation in Mock Trial and Moot Court. Rust, alongside John Downey, PhD, Stetson’s vice president of Campus Life, are developing a pre-law Living and Learning Community where students will live together and progress through a shared curriculum as a cohort.

“We hope this initiative will strengthen solidarity and community among our pre-law students,” said Rust. “Equally important, our students have been making their own contributions to Stetson’s pre-law pathway. For example, Stetson’s new chapter of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA). I deeply value the passion our students bring to building new dimensions into the program, and I see my role as supporting and amplifying these student-led endeavors.”

– Trish Wieland