AccessLex Institute Announces Grant Winners

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AccessLex Institute and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) have announced the awarding of more than $330,000 in grants through their Research and Dissertation Fellows Program. The program is funded by AccessLex Institute and administered by AIR to promote scholarship on issues related to access, affordability and the value of legal education specifically, and graduate and professional education more broadly. Grants of up to $50,000 for scholars and $25,000 for doctoral students are made available to help fund year-long research projects. This is the second year these awards have been made.

"AccessLex Institute is pleased to award these grants for work that is tackling an exciting and important array of critical and timely topics," said Christopher P. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of AccessLex Institute. "Data-informed decision-making is increasingly important for higher education leaders, and these projects meaningfully align with our goal of providing insightful and actionable data."

This year's seven recipients are:

• Amy Farley, University of Cincinnati – a $50,000 research grant to study and better understand the various factors, student characteristics, and programmatic interventions that contribute to positive outcomes for law students.
• Robert Kelchen, Seton Hall University – a $32,322 research grant to examine whether professional programs raised tuition prices at higher rates following the 2006 creation of the Grad PLUS program and the 2007 expansion of income-driven repayment programs.
• Amy Li, University of Northern Colorado – a $49,423 research grant to examine the relationship between law school costs and attendance rates.
• Hironao Okahana, Council of Graduate of Schools – a $49,851 research grant to examine access to graduate and professional education, factors that are associated with attrition, and the effects that departure without earning a degree has on the future economic prospects of students.
• Erdal Tekin, American University – a $50,000 research grant to explore whether exposure to adjunct (part-time) law school instructors affects students' success.
• Xeuli Wang, University of Wisconsin, Madison – a $49,999 research grant to explore whether community college attendance plays a role in baccalaureate recipients' access to graduate and professional education.
• Gregory Wolniak, New York University – a $49,862 research grant to examine access and completion disparities in graduate education among students of different gender and racial/ethnic identities.

AccessLex Institute launched its grantmaking activities in 2014. Since that time, it has awarded more than $4 million in support of its research priorities.

About AccessLex Institute:
AccessLex Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. In partnership with its nearly 200 Member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of the Company's mission since 1983. AccessLex Institute has offices in West Chester, Pa., and Washington, D.C., with a team of accredited financial education counselors based throughout the United States. Learn more at AccessLex.org

SOURCE AccessLex Institute