Lauren Haynes, from Madison, Va., graduated from WKU’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program in August 2020. She recently received the impressive results of her applications to law schools. Haynes was accepted into Temple University, Villanova University, University of Cincinnati, Dickinson Law, Penn State University, Seton Hall University, and University of Pittsburgh with full tuition, and she was accepted into Washington University, George Washington University, College of William & Mary, and University of Minnesota with partial tuition. Haynes has decided to attend the University of Pittsburgh.

In an interview, Haynes described the factors she considered in her application process. She said, “It was difficult deciding where to apply initially, simply because there are so many great options. My primary considerations were the availability of public interest opportunities and campus environments that fostered a sense of community and service. I found talking to current students and faculty members, as well as analyzing the profiles of alumni, to be particularly helpful in my decision process. Ultimately though, I had a very difficult choice to make, and location was the deciding factor between otherwise equally great options in terms of job opportunities, bar passage rates, and financial factors.”

Haynes also discussed the role the WKU English Department served in preparing her for law school. “WKU English was instrumental in helping me develop the leadership, creative problem solving, and analytical skills necessary for a successful career in law,” she said. “WKU’s English Department is a powerhouse of great minds, passionate instructors, and rigorous content that will prepare students for success.”

Haynes mentioned specific experiences that impacted her. “I’d especially highlight working with Dr. Hall in the Gender & Women’s Studies and Embedded Tutor programs, developing my thesis with Dr. Bell’s guidance (as well as Dr. Knoll and Dr. Rigby’s immensely helpful input), and shadowing Fabián Álvarez, my mentor for teaching English 100. I learned so much from working with these instructors outside of the classroom,” Haynes said. “Also, I’d like to shout out Dr. Zubel’s Literary Theory class, which was an incredible opportunity for cross-curricular approaches to studying texts, and I’d recommend it to any student with an interest in law just for the rigor of the texts and discussions.”

Haynes then shared her future goals. She said, “I'm keeping an open mind about my specific area of legal practice, but I am most interested in working to build more equitable systems. For this reason, I gravitate towards public interest, family/juvenile, criminal, immigration, and environmental law. In the future, I hope to be an advocate for positive change, especially for marginalized communities, and I also will continue pursuing my creative writing career.”