Office of Student Affairs

Our Mission is to facilitate learning and support the success and wellbeing of every student by developing a culture of accountability, responsibility, inclusion, and respect for our colleagues and ourselves.

Our Vision is to send the happiest, healthiest, and most professional law students out into the world to lead and transform the legal profession.

Support to Student Organizations

At VLS, we have over 45 Student Organizations that put on a wide variety of events each week ranging from Blackacre social gatherings to major speaker events sponsored by the Hyatt Fund. We also provide support to student publications and managing subscription lists. The VLS Office of Student Affairs is here to assist with everything from event planning to financial management.

Diversity and Inclusion

We promote a culture of inclusive engagement through opportunities to explore our differences and each student’s unique story. The Office of Student Affairs acts as the adviser to the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council and works in close partnership with the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Community. We work collaboratively with students to build a community that encourages respect, tolerance, and appreciation of individual differences.

Assistance to Students with Disabilities

Our office works closely with the Student Access Center to provide reasonable accommodations for students consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

International Student Support

We provide cultural adjustment support, advising, and general programming to our international students at VLS. Our students are encouraged to use the VLS Office of Student Affairs as a resource for their needs as an international student on our campus. We also join with other campus partners to ensure our international students excel during their time at VLS.

Co-Counsel Program

We oversee the Co-Counsel Program at VLS, where incoming students are assigned to an upper class mentor. These mentors are there to smooth the transition into law school and ensure students are socially connected, informed, and prepared to be successful during their first year of law school. Each incoming student is also part of a larger circuit that holds social gatherings.

General Counseling and Student Crisis Management

The Office of Student Affairs is the place students come if they are struggling with non-academic struggles during the course of their time at VLS. In addition to providing general counseling, the office provides referrals for medical or psychological assistance when necessary. We often serve as a central hub and coordinate with faculty and appropriate campus resources when students experience a crisis or traumatic life event.

Orientation Week

The Office of Student Affairs, in partnership with Academic Life and Admissions, runs the Orientation Week programming at Vanderbilt Law School. Orientation Week is a mix of optional and mandatory sessions focusing on your success both inside and outside the classroom. Programming is centered around building community, providing tools for academic success, and knowledge of campus resources.

ONEelevate Leadership Program

ONEelevate is a highly selective leadership training program for Vanderbilt 1L’s. Students will be selected based on demonstrated leadership potential as well as lived experience overcoming adversity (i.e. underrepresented law student, first generation to attend college, or other significant life challenges). The program aims to:

provide a collaborative learning experience for underrepresented populations in law school and beyond,
promote a culture of diverse leadership,
remove barriers to success, and
teach skills necessary to become active leaders in the law school and legal profession.

Each year, the program selects a cohort of ten first-year students. Selected students are each matched with two mentors: a current 2L or 3L student and a prominent local attorney or judge.