Central Valley Scholars

The students in the Law Pathway are Central Valley Scholars, and we are excited to watch their career trajectory into the law!

Many of our Central Valley Scholars come from diverse communities that are currently underrepresented in legal careers. While 70% of the population of the Central Valley derives from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, the 2020 Diversity Report Card for the State Bar of California found that 70% of California-licensed, active lawyers are white. This program involves collaborative work across multiple schools in the Central Valley to improve diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Central Valley Scholars are not required to select any specific major, but are encouraged to seek out a major that works best for them and their personal goals for a legal career. We do recommend that students try to take classes that will help prepare them for law school, such as courses in logic, ethics, and rhetoric. Being a Central Valley Scholar does require certain course work and the maintaining of a 3.0 GPA.

For more on the specific requirements for being a Central Valley Scholar, we recommend that Fresno State students contact our Liaison, Dr. James Rocha (jamesr@csufresno.edu).