LDJ Concentration
Fairhaven College
At Fairhaven College, students are challenged to bring what they learn to bear on human concerns and crucial real-world problems. Fairhaven courses prepare students to listen carefully and engage respectfully in discussion, to value and respect different world-views and appreciate the multiple voices reflecting the diversity of experiences in our society.
Fairhaven College is committed to a gender-conscious and multicultural approach to topics, resources and classroom practices. Courses and other learning experiences provide an opportunity to examine the impacts and contemporary and historical roots of race, class and gender relations.
Students are encouraged to find their connection with the world, to understand relationships of thought and action, theory and experience, to cultivate opportunities to apply what they learn and to develop a strong sense of themselves as individuals in a community, including the benefits and responsibilities that come from membership in it. Courses and experiences encourage students to practice and assume leadership roles and to challenge leaders responsibly and intelligently.
Courses are conducted in a collaborative seminar format, class sizes seldom exceed 20 students, and strong mentoring/advising relationships are established between students and faculty.
Law, Diversity & Justice Concentration
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In 1991 Fairhaven College developed the Law and Diversity Program (LDP) for students who were interested in law, diversity, and access to the legal system for under-served communities. LDP welcomed students who desired to affect change and who had the potential to act as leaders and role models in their communities using legal knowledge and processes. Graduates from the Law and Diversity Program have obtained positions as attorneys for private and public firms, in city government and legal services, at the U.S. Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. Graduates have also pursued careers in the justice system as Juvenile Probation Officers, Human Service Caseworkers, Prisoner Rights Activists, law enforcement personnel, and as Union negotiators. Some have gone on to faculty positions at other Universities where they teach on a variety of law, diversity and justice issues.
To better keep pace with Fairhaven’s core mission of social justice, the Program has expanded into a regular plan of study at Fairhaven under the Law, Diversity & Justice (LDJ) Concentration. The concentration is open to ALL students enrolled at Fairhaven College, and endeavors to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups or who want to help underrepresented groups, and who are seeking careers in law and social justice. Through the Fairhaven concentration process and in consultation with faculty mentors, students will combine an LDJ Concentration core curriculum with courses from Fairhaven and other Western Washington University departments to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for success in law school, law related fields and other careers involving justice work.