To create a strong legal system on a national and international level, it is vitally crucial to focus our deliberate attention on providing candidates with a standardized law education with the best resources feasible. One such prominent law school is Florida-based – St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law.
Led by the Honorable Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, St. Thomas University College of Law, is part of a Catholic university founded in 1961, with its roots hailing back to Havana, Cuba’s Universidad de Santo Tomas de Villanueva, founded in 1946 and closed by Castro’s communist government. STU College of Law is a school where values matter. Over the years, it has elevated the standard of excellence in terms of educating and empowering graduates as lawyers capable of applying legal principles to address and solve problems in an increasingly complex and changing society.
Today, the exemplary law school is renowned for offering rigorous academic programs that emphasize scholarship and lifetime learning in a specialized, supportive environment. To do this, they continue to be dedicated to excellence in research, teaching, and volunteer work. STU Law provides several opportunities for clinical training, externships, and internships to advance students’ legal education. Eighty-six percent of STU Law’s students are employed or pursuing advanced degrees within ten months after graduation, and 100% of graduates are offered clinical or externship opportunities.
The Eminent Persona Behind the Ace Institution
Proudly serve as a law school Dean who nurtures legal passion in students, a Dean who mentors, and a Dean who leads by example!
The Dean of St. Thomas University is the Honorable Tarlika Nunez-Navarro. Dean Navarro, who is renowned for her unwavering dedication to justice and her outstanding contributions to the legal community, provides St. Thomas University College of Law with a focused vision and direction as an organization.
She graduated with honors from St. Thomas University College of Law, earning her Juris Doctor. Prior, she received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami. She was the first Colombian American to be appointed to the Circuit Court bench in Florida’s Ninth and Seventeenth Judicial Circuits, making her achievements ground-breaking.
From STU Law student to becoming a judge, Dean Navarro’s career has been both humbling and inspirational. The values and legal knowledge reinforced at St. Thomas University College of Law have helped Dean Navarro navigate some of the most sophisticated and challenging legal situations. She began her career as a clerk for the Family and Domestic Violence Division of Miami-Dade County’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit. As an assistant State Attorney in Broward County, she prosecuted crimes ranging from first-degree misdemeanors to life felonies. After her tenure as a State Attorney, she specialized in criminal defense while developing a private practice.
Dean Navarro has made an invaluable contribution to the legal world because of her unwavering commitment to justice and foundation in moral decision-making. For her passion and excellence, Dean Navarro has earned countless awards and recognition, including the Jurist of the Year Award from the Hispanic Bar Association of Central Florida in 2022.
The Work Atmosphere and Core Values at St. Thomas University
Envisioned to be the best Catholic law school in America and to serve the community and uphold human dignity in whatever they do, St. Thomas University College of Law is ranked first in 2023 by the Princeton Review of Best Law Schools for Greatest Resources for Minority Students. Additionally, the university was named the Best Resources for Women.
79% of the students at the law school are people of color. In line with the diversity of the student body, the faculty is likewise diverse. STU Law, which is based in South Florida, is representative of the multicultural character of the areas it borders. Students can express and discuss their academic and professional interests, race, ethnicity, and religion, as well as their political and social views, through more than 30 student organizations. Their dedication to excellence in education and outcomes, as well as their diversity, are essential components of the law school’s success.
The Impact of the Pandemic on the University: Positive and Negative
One of the few universities that remained open throughout the pandemic was St. Thomas University. By adhering to all CDC recommendations, safeguarding the most vulnerable, and relying on science, the university was able to switch to Bobcat Go!, a hybrid delivery approach that allowed pupils to participate in both Zoom sessions and classroom activities. The majority of extracurricular activities and sporting events were successfully sustained by the institution throughout the pandemic. STU’s student body was brought together by the experience as they learned the fortitude and cooperation required to get through a challenging time in their lives. Working together, faculty and staff did everything necessary to assure the students were able to receive the full collegiate experience.
Overcoming the Hurdles Like a Pro!
Higher education is a constantly evolving tapestry. Technological advances are always affecting schooling. The students now have access to A.I. tools like ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence systems, for instance. The professors and administration are responsible for ensuring that all new technology is incorporated positively into the curriculum and isn’t being abused by the pupils.
From the Dean’s Desk
I aspire to be known as a person who is committed to helping, uplifting, and enabling the next generation of lawyers, inspiring them to strive for excellence in everything they do and to embrace accountability, both inside the legal profession, and outside of it.
10 Years Down the Line…
Dean Navarro signs off by sharing her exclusive approach towards the future by affirming, “Based on the last five straight years of record enrollment and continued growth in the undergraduate population, and based on the goals we have set for the College of Law, we believe STU will become a thriving hub of change agents in law, science, business, and the liberal arts. The ultimate objective of the institution is to create graduates who are committed to assisting others throughout their lives and careers and who are anchored in moral principles.”