UT Tyler receives $300k for Pre-Law Academy

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler accepted a $300,000 gift from alum Carol Cox Polumbo to enhance the university’s Pre-Law Academy. According to a press release, the Pre-Law Academy is designed to encourage East Texas high school students to consider a career in law as well as to assist current college students to be admitted into law school. The gift will help UT Tyler provide more services to more students. “We are extremely grateful for this generous gift,” said UT Tyler President Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP, “and we are particularly grateful to our accomplished alumna for graciously investing in her alma mater and East Texas.”

Created in 2019, the Pre-Law Academy operates in the College of Arts and Sciences and consists of three components:

• Pre-College is a multi-layered recruitment initiative in which UT Tyler offers programs and hands-on activities for East Texas K-12 students to nurture a desire to study law.

• The undergraduate program includes an enhanced pre-law minor that provides UT Tyler students the necessary content to master the Law School Admission Test.

• The application/admission component includes a pre-law adviser who works closely with students to ensure the strongest possible law school application through workshops, internships and career seminars featuring lawyers and current law school students.

“This academy affords our students the skills and information to increase their chances of successfully applying to and completing law school,” said Dr. Neil Gray, UT Tyler College of Arts and Sciences dean.

Polumbo is a partner in the Austin office of McCall Parkhurst & Horton and previously served as the firm’s managing partner 2013 – 2021. She holds an associate’s degree from Tyler Junior College, a bachelor’s degree from UT Austin, a master’s degree from UT Tyler and a Doctor of Law degree from South Texas College of Law. “Having grown up in Tyler, East Texas has a special place in my heart and as an alumni I am very excited to assist UT Tyler in expanding its Pre-Law Academy,” said Polumbo. “Providing future generations with additional tools to be successful in pursuing a legal career is an opportunity I am proud to support.”