The University of Georgia School of Law has hired Amanda J. Shaw as its inaugural first-start coordinator, a position designed to assist students who are the first in their families to attend college as they navigate law school.

In this role, Shaw will serve as the designated point of contact for this group through all stages of their law school experience, supporting them from their recruitment to post-graduation. She will also develop programming tailored for these students.

“As a first-generation college graduate myself, this position is deeply meaningful to me,” Shaw said. “I remember how overwhelmed I felt in law school, constantly striving to bridge a gap I couldn’t quite identify. It is hard to get answers when you don’t even know the questions you should be asking. This is why having a dedicated point person for first-generation students is so important, and I am committed to assisting our students be successful as they pursue their legal education at the School of Law.”

This position is part of the School of Law’s ongoing mission to transform the landscape of legal education for its first-generation college graduates. This spring, the school established the First-Start Scholars Program thanks to a $3 million gift from 1982 alumna Kathelen V. Amos and the Daniel P. Amos Family Foundation – bringing the total amount of funds given to support these students to more than $5 million in recent years.

“With roughly 10 to 15 percent of each entering class representing the first person in his or her family to attend college, having a support system in place for this cohort eases the anxieties some may have as they embark on their legal education,” Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge said. “Not only will these students be attending one of the nation’s top law schools, but they will have a community of peers and mentors who truly have their backs as they prepare to become legal leaders in their communities.”

Shaw, who earned her law degree from UGA, will step into this position later this summer. She currently serves as the law school’s Associate Director for Global Practice Preparation, overseeing the Dean Rusk International Law Center’s global externships programs and Global Governance Summer School, in addition to other academic and research initiatives.