This year, the California LAW Pathways (Cal LAW) program graduated more than 400 students as Cal LAW Scholars, marking an extraordinary milestone for the program and statewide partners. These graduates are transferring this fall to top universities including UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, Georgetown University, and others. Several students are also pursuing direct pathways into law school or beginning careers as paralegals and legal professionals.

One notable scholar is Noor R., a first-generation college student whose leadership and commitment to civic engagement have made a lasting impact at East Los Angeles College. During her time as a student there, she served as Vice President of Advocacy for the ELAC Associated Student Union, a California For All College Corps Fellow with the ELAC Foundation, and an intern with the United Nations SDG Action Campaign. As Vice President of Advocacy, Noor led civic engagement initiatives that helped register more than 100 students to vote in the 2024 presidential election and connected students with opportunities to participate in local, state, and national elections. Through her leadership and community work, she has advocated for educational access, student basic needs, and civic participation.

This fall, she will transfer to the University of Southern California as a Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholar, one of just 60 students nationwide selected for the prestigious scholarship, which provides funding for undergraduate education. She also received the ELAC Foundation 2025 Southern California Edison STEM Scholarship and plans to pursue a career in law and public service.

“Cal LAW played a significant role in my educational journey by introducing me to opportunities and experiences that made law school feel attainable. Through mentorship, law school visits, and the support of the Cal LAW community, I gained the confidence to pursue my goals.”  — Noor R., Cal LAW Scholar and Recipient of the Jack Kent Cook Foundation Scholarship

As the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, Noor hopes to use her education and future legal career to give back to her homeland by supporting efforts that promote justice and dignity for its people.

California LAW Pathways is a FoundationCCC Collaborative Impact Partner and was established under the leadership of the State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness with support from the Law School Admission Council. The program helps coordinate programs that are part of the educational pipeline for diverse students seeking a career in the legal profession or law-related fields so that the legal profession reflects the diverse population of California.

Read more about Cal LAW >