“We need resilience and hope and a spirit that can carry us through the doubt and fear.”– Brené Brown
We are giving your email inbox a summer break! The Monday Morning Message will resume the week of August 22, 2022, the first week of fall semester classes.
As I reflect on the continued injustices in our criminal justice system, the disregard for the rule of law, the lack of civility and basic human decency, and the abject failure of our federal and state governments to find effective ways to address senseless gun violence like we have seen in Uvalde and Buffalo, I wonder….
Is our law school doing enough? And, of course, the answer is that we always can and should do more.
But there is one thing I remain certain about.
Our legal system too often fails to attain equal justice and common sense public policy solutions, but it also remains the most effective and powerful vehicle for achieving them.
That’s why a quality legal education is the single best investment in preparing a new generation of leaders to advance social justice, civility, public policy reform, and the rule of law.
So I have a request….
It would mean a lot to us if you would take a moment before June 3o, the end of our fiscal year, to support the opportunity for a student to achieve their dream of making a real difference in the world.
Believe in C|M|LAW. Please Give Now.
I believe that the single most important skill we teach at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University is the ability to step outside the constraints of your own immediate, biased frames of reference and to see every problem, challenge, and opportunity with the resilience of new eyes and the spirit of an open mind.
Our students are perfecting their written and oral communication skills by learning how to argue not only for a position with which they agree but also for one with which they personally disagree. Some people start an argument by staking out their position and refusing to budge, an impulse that Dr. Amy Cuddy calls “dropping the anchor.” We must recognize the value of asking rather than telling, of listening to each other’s answers instead of jumping to conclusions.
At a time when political polarization has reached new heights and political discourse has reached new lows, it’s never been more important to teach and train a new generation of resilient leaders who have the courage and skill to listen, learn, and understand before they speak, advocate, and lead.
Believe in C|M|LAW. Please Give Now.
Over this past academic year, our students have leaned into uncertainty with the grit and grace successive generations of students have embodied for 125 years.
But none have had the challenges – and the resilience - of our current students and recent graduates who have had to learn law in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic.
It is our resilience that will give us the strength to work together for a future of listening, understanding, civility, and a search for truth and common ground.
Donations from friends like you have made succeeding and thriving in law school possible through turbulent and uncertain times. Please know that when you donate to CSU Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, you are investing in our students and their futures.
While we will appreciate your support of any fund at CSU Cleveland-Marshall College of Law that aligns with your preferences, we are focused on increasing funding to:
Learn Law Live Justice Annual Fund:
Unrestricted dollars that can be put to use immediately where the need is the greatest
Funding to pivot quickly to provide ahead-of-the-curve educational experiences for students
Funding for student scholarships for minority students and those pursuing social and racial justice legal work
Please donate by clicking here. No gift is too small.
Please help us continue to support our students, to transform lives, and to prepare the future leaders who will change the world.
Our mission has never been more relevant and our need for support has never been more vital.
Every day we educate and train the future guardians of justice and custodians of our democracy. It’s a sacred trust we ask you to help us keep.
Your support means more now, than ever before, in these unprecedented and uncertain times.
Believe in C|M|LAW. Please Give Now.
May you have a summer of resilience, hope and spirit.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay Committed to Living Justice.
Have a great day. Have a great week.
My best,
Lee
Lee Fisher
Dean, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law | Cleveland State University
Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law
For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages.