Cleveland State University College of Law formally launched the International Law Center in Summer 2025, marking a significant step forward in the College’s expanding leadership in global legal scholarship, teaching, and student engagement.
Under the direction of Milena Sterio, BakerHostetler Professor of Law and Center Director, the Center is quickly emerging as a dynamic hub for timely, real-world engagement with international and comparative legal issues.
The International Law Center reflects CSU Law’s longstanding strength in international legal scholarship while creating a formal structure to deepen programming, student opportunities, and global collaboration.
The Center is grounded in the understanding that international law is increasingly central to modern legal practice, shaping governance, human rights, commerce, and global conflict. Through the International Law Center, students engage directly with these issues while developing the analytical tools and professional networks necessary for careers that intersect with global legal systems.
Distinguished Leadership
Professor Sterio brings exceptional scholarly distinction and practical insight to the Center’s work.
In 2023, she was named a Distinguished University Professor by Cleveland State University, an honor bestowed annually on just one faculty member across the entire university. The recognition reflects her sustained record of excellence in scholarship, teaching, and service.
She was also recently recognized among the Top 100 International Law Scholars worldwide, underscoring the national and international impact of her scholarship in international criminal law, human rights, and global justice.
Her research and professional engagement directly inform the Center’s programming and student-facing initiatives, ensuring that its work is grounded in both academic rigor and real-world relevance.
Programming That Connects Scholarship to Current Events
An International Law Center event held in late January offered a clear example of the Center’s mission in action.
Professor Sterio and Professor Kyle Shen presented on the constitutional and international law dimensions of the situation in Venezuela before engaging in an extended discussion with attendees. With more than 50 students participating in a non-mandatory lunchtime program, the event highlighted both strong student interest and the Center’s role in connecting classroom learning to pressing global challenges.
In September 2025, the Center further expanded its reach by co-sponsoring the American Society of International Law Midyear Meeting, bringing leading scholars and practitioners into dialogue on emerging international law issues. The event positioned CSU Law as a convening space for meaningful national and international legal discourse.
Experiential Learning and Career Preparation
Beyond events and scholarship, the International Law Center is designed to create meaningful experiential pathways for students.
Through research opportunities, guest lectures, policy discussions, and future programming initiatives, the Center prepares students to:
- Analyze cross-border legal questions
- Engage with international institutions
- Understand the interaction between domestic and global legal systems
- Develop expertise in human rights, international criminal law, and comparative law
As legal practice continues to globalize, even in regional and domestic settings, the Center ensures CSU Law students are equipped with the perspective and training necessary to operate effectively in an interconnected legal landscape.
A Growing Platform for Global Engagement
The launch of the International Law Center signals more than the addition of a new program. It reflects CSU Law’s broader commitment to:
- Elevating internationally recognized scholarship
- Expanding student-facing academic opportunities
- Strengthening civic and global engagement
- Serving as a thought leader on issues that shape the rule of law worldwide
With strong faculty leadership, growing student interest, and national scholarly recognition, the International Law Center is poised to become a defining feature of CSU Law’s academic and public impact in the years ahead.