Bridges Initiative: Building Connections to Agricultural and Food Law
The National Agricultural Law Center’s Agricultural & Food Law Bridges Initiative is a student-focused, public-private partnership that offers professional development, networking, and increased legal knowledge to pre-college, undergraduate, and law students interested in agricultural and food law issues and/or careers. The overall goal of the Bridges Initiative is to help provide a legal-focused pipeline of talent into the agricultural and food industries while furthering the NALC’s national mission of serving as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The Bridges Initiative includes a specific focus on minority students and others traditionally underrepresented in the agricultural and food law fields.
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Law Students
NALC Research Fellowship Program: The National Agricultural Law Center Research Fellowship Program employs, on a semester-by-semester basis, numerous law students located throughout the United States. Research Fellows help conduct legal research and writing projects that meaningfully assist the NALC and its partners in serving state, regional, and national stakeholders in furtherance of the NALC mission. As appropriate, the Research Fellowship Program may be used to fulfill academic credit requirements. The NALC often provides funding support for Research Fellows to attend educational programs such as the Annual Mid-South Agricultural & Environmental Law Conference. The NALC also covers the costs of each Research Fellow’s student membership in the American Agricultural Law Association. Learn more about available opportunities here.
Career Development: The NALC and the American Agricultural Law Association (AALA) partner to provide career development and networking opportunities for law students throughout the United States. Specifically, the AALA and NALC provide a quarterly “Growing Careers in Ag & Food Law: Law Students” webinar series. For more information on the next “Growing Careers” webinar, visit the NALC website here. Additionally, AALA and NALC work together to create and sustain agriculture and food law-oriented student associations at law schools throughout the nation. If you are a student interested in establishing a new law student organization or seek assistance with an already-established organization, please contact nataglaw@uark.edu. The AALA and NALC encourage law students to join AALA as well as attend the annual AALA Symposium.
Undergraduates
Agricultural & Food Law Foundations Program: The Foundations Program is a partnership between the NALC and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, & Life Sciences, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. The Foundations Program is available to Pre-Law Concentration students pursuing an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. The Foundations Program provides eligible AEAB Pre-Law students formal training for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). The program also supports the AEAB Pre-Law Student Association, by providing and identifying student association speakers. Additionally, the Foundations Program provides student internship opportunities at the local, regional, and national level, including at the NALC. As appropriate, Foundations Program internships may be used to fulfill academic credit requirements.
Communications Internship: The NALC partners with the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, & Life Sciences, Department of Agricultural Education, Communications, & Technology to offer the National Agricultural Law Center Communications Internship. Under the Communications Internship is a paid internship available for up to three AECT students on a semester-by-semester basis who will meaningfully assist in the communication and publicity activities of the NALC. As appropriate, the Communications Internship may be used to fulfill academic credit requirements. The Communications Internship provides, subject to available funding, the opportunity for interns to attend conferences and events that foster professional development, specifically including the Ag Media Summit and other related events. For additional information, please contact nataglaw@uark.edu.
Career Development: The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation (NASDA Foundation) and the NALC partner to provide career development and networking opportunities for law students throughout the United States. Specifically, the NALC and NASDA Foundation provide a quarterly “Growing Careers in Ag & Food Law: Undergraduate Students” webinar series. For more information on the next “Growing Careers” webinar, please visit the NALC website here. Additionally, the NASDA Foundation and NALC collaborate to provide career development opportunities for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANNRS), Next Generation, and other interested undergraduate students as part of the NASDA Annual Meeting and the annual NASDA Winter Policy Conference.
Pre-College Learners
The NALC Bridges Initiative also provides outreach and mentoring to pre-college students in Arkansas and beyond who are interested in agricultural and food law issues and/or careers. The NALC hosts quarterly videoconferences designed to provide networking and career development opportunities for undergraduate students located throughout the United States. Additionally, the Center provides outreach to student groups such as Agricultural Future of America, Jr. MANNRS, The National FFA Organization, 4-H, as well as other interested organizations and individuals.