A unique ‘spiritual boost’ preparing for the bar exam
By Walter Villa, Special to STU
It is stressful.
It is demanding.
And it can be all-consuming.
Preparing for the bar exam is so challenging that St. Thomas University College of Law professors and administrators have committed to holding “Spiritual Boosters” in an effort to help their students perform at their best throughout the process.
Tom Nguyen, J.D., PhD., STU’s Assistant Professor of Academic Success and Bar Preparation, will host the weekly 30-minute gatherings, and he is excited about how this can help students.
Dr. Nguyen also said that – to his knowledge – no other law school in the nation offers a spiritual boost as planned by STU.
“What we’re offering is an uplifting break for our bar-takers,” Dr. Nguyen said of the program, which is set to start in late May.
“We’re offering faith and fellowship as well as prayer, scripture, reflection, conversation, and music. And we’re hoping all of this will bring students peace, clarity, and encouragement.”
By the end of the program, the hope is that participants should have an enhanced mindset for bar-taking success, experienced spiritual and personal renewal, and developed mental and emotional fortitude.
In addition, students can form meaningful connections with peers, faculty and staff through shared personal experiences, group discussions and collaborative spiritual activities.
Florencia Cornu Laport, STU’s Director and Associate Professor of Academic Success and Bar Preparation, has played a key role in the idea behind the spiritual booster.
In fact, this all started when Cornu Laport asked Nguyen if he could add something to STU’s existing program that helps its students through the rigorous bar-taking process.
“We believe that preparing for the bar exam requires a holistic approach,” Cornu Laport said. “We believe in engaging with students at their current level and guiding them toward their goals, and we understand that wellbeing is a crucial component in this journey.”
The spiritual booster sessions will be held during lunch time, and, as part of this endeavor, STU is providing access to campus facilities where students can exercise, unwind and connect with their community for support.
“Recognizing the uniqueness of each individual, we are providing a range of resources tailored to diverse needs,” Cornu Laport said. “Our offerings include complimentary access to the mindfulness app, HeadSpace, for all students and bar-exam candidates.”
Dr. Nguyen, who graduated from the University of Miami’s law school a couple of decades ago, said that, in those days, he and others were offered little in the way of help when it came time to pass the bar.
“I had great professors,” said Nguyen, who worked as a business and employment lawyer and as a college administrator before becoming law faculty. “But when it came down to studying for the bar exam, they would just wish you luck. Students would typically register for a private bar-review course, but you were pretty much on your own. You had to study independently for two or three months. There was not much in terms of live instruction or support, and it was isolating and difficult to navigate.”
At STU, however, there is an organized plan in place designed to help students.
For example, STU already has a two-day bar taker “boot camp” that offers lectures, strategy options and a review of likely bar-exam topics.
In addition, students are encouraged to study on campus. Nguyen said most bar-takers study at least eight hours each day and some up to 14 hours daily.
When they need a break, there are activities for them, and that includes the Spiritual Boost, which will start each week with an opening prayer.
Nguyen will lead the discussions, and he will often have a guest speaker, which could mean someone from campus ministry or another member of the faculty or even an STU graduate who went through the bar-exam process.
Each week, Nguyen will highlight a different Catholic saint and discuss how their lives were relevant to young professionals – such as STU’s students – who are trying to overcome hurdles and challenges.
Dr. Nguyen said he will also select songs that connect with that week’s saint and message.
“This ‘spiritual booster’ is open to anyone, even if you are not Catholic or Christian,” Nguyen said. “It’s meant as a 30-minute break where we don’t talk about the law.
“We hope to give our students peace as they continue to study and excel.”
