After surveying its veteran and military-affiliated students, McGeorge is launching a new Military Law Center to support its military-serving and veteran students. The goal is to provide extraordinary service and support to the students attending McGeorge and the other programs on the University of the Pacific’s Sacramento campus.

The Military Law Center is the first center of its kind in northern California. Nationwide, there are less than 10 similar centers offered to students at ABA accredited law schools.

“Meeting the needs of our students and giving them the resources they need to thrive is at the core of everything we do,” said Alicia Montana Morrell, assistant dean for student affairs at McGeorge. “Our veteran and military-affiliated students told us this was a priority for them. We are glad that we can deliver on it for them.”

The new Center will be located within the Student Center and will be staffed by the University’s new full-time Director of Military Student Services. While the Military Law Center’s focus is supporting and providing assistance and resources to veteran and military affiliated students, all members of the Sacramento campus community are welcome.

“The Military Law Center at McGeorge is a long-awaited and welcomed addition to the Sacramento campus,” said Samuel Kim, a third-year law student and past president of McGeorge’s Military Law Society. “Not only will it provide a place for veterans and interested students to get together, relax, share stories, and further build camaraderie, but it will also actively help veteran students learn about and take full advantage of their post-service benefits and provide other military-related assistance. I am genuinely excited for the Center to open!”

The creation of the Military Law Center was a collaborative effort by University of the Pacific administration, faculty, and staff, including Michael Hunter Schwartz, dean of McGeorge School of Law; Nicoleta Bugnariu, dean of the School of Health Sciences; Tracy Simmons, senior assistant dean of admissions and strategic diversity initiatives, & financial aid; Allison Dumas, associate vice president of student involvement & equity; Joe Pinkas, director of financial aid; Mark Christiansen, clinical associate professor; and Stan Rapada, military and veteran services coordinator.

“I am the daughter, granddaughter, niece, and cousin of several veterans. I am always mindful of our active duty military and veteran students and their needs, which sometimes differ from the needs of our other students," Simmons said. "As an institution, I believe we should provide them with a level of services that matches our commitment to serving them in the manner in which they have and continue to serve our country.”

The new Military Law Center will launch in time for the start of classes in the fall, and there will be a celebratory Grand Opening event later in the fall semester.

McGeorge has had a Military Law Society for more than 20 years, has dozens of military-serving and veteran alumni, and is a Yellow Ribbon Program Institution. To apply to the law school, go to law.pacific.edu/law/apply.