Palermo Mentorship Program celebrates over a decade of partnership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Thomas University College of Law’s Palermo Mentorship Program Celebrates Over a Decade of Partnership with Miami Carol City Senior High School
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – May 9, 2025 — The Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University (STU) proudly continues its longstanding commitment to community engagement and legal education through the Honorable Peter R. Palermo Mentorship Program. Now in its second decade, the program remains a vital partnership between St. Thomas University College of Law and the Law Magnet Program at Miami Carol City Senior High School.
Established in 2013, the Palermo Mentorship Program was inspired by the late Judge Peter R. Palermo’s vision that all future leaders, regardless of profession, should understand the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution and civic life. Since its inception, the program has provided weekly legal education and mentorship to high school students, delivered by passionate law student volunteers.
This year, over 75 students from Miami Carol City Senior High School participated in program activities including hands-on workshops, classroom teach-backs, and a culminating Mock Trial event at the STU College of Law. Under the leadership of attorney Asiah Wolfolk-Manning, Director of the Law Magnet Program at Miami Carol City, the initiative continues to be a model of impactful academic and professional mentorship.
Associate Dean Jeffrey D. Veitch extended a warm welcome to students, guests, and families on behalf of STU. Third-year law student Sylvester K. “Bailey” Jr., President of the STU Palermo Mentorship Program, described the event as a truly humbling experience and an inspiring showcase of aspiring legal minds presenting their arguments with exceptional confidence and poise.
This year’s event was made possible through the dedication of volunteer attorneys, the Honorable Judge Chiaka Ihekwaba of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, and the support of community and professional partners. Special thanks to long-standing supporters including Kubicki Draper, the Allstate Legal Department, the TJ Reddick Bar Association, and the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association for their continued investment in the next generation of legal professionals.
Looking ahead, the program plans to deepen its impact through expanded classroom engagement and new partnership opportunities designed to strengthen civic education and career readiness among high school students.
