Rural Justice Pathway Program

Corey Adams (ca996123@ohio.edu) is a third-year student at Ohio University, where he is pursuing an undergraduate English Pre-Law degree with a Certificate in Law, Justice, & Culture. Corey is a Washington County native, raised in Waterford, OH. Corey is on the Ohio University Mock Trial team, serves as a board director for the Center for Student Legal Services, and is involved in Phi Alpha Delta. He is also involved in the Rural Justice Lab program at Ohio University.

Paige Best (pb565720@ohio.edu) is currently a junior at Ohio University and from Coal Grove, Ohio. She is a double major in Political Science Pre-Law and English Literature, Culture & Writing, with a minor in Sociology and a certificate in Law, Justice & Culture. She is looking forward to inspiring the next generation of rural attorneys and advocates. She is also looking forward to communicating with individuals from other rural communities and learning about them.

Hayden Lewis (hl419225@ohio.edu) is from Portsmouth, Ohio and a third-year transfer student from Shawnee State University. He is majoring in Political Science Pre-Law and minoring in Economics and Philosophy. He is involved with the Ohio University Mock Trial Team, the Pre-Law Mentorship Program, and the Rural Justice Lab. He is excited to serve as real, local role models for high school students to follow, because the things that stick with students the most are the people they can relate to and the experiences they have in southeastern Appalachian Ohio.

Emma Lucas (el134020@ohio.edu) is a third-year student majoring in Sociology Pre-Law with a minor in Political Science and certificates in Appalachian Studies and Law, Justice and Culture. She is a commuter student from Athens County and on campus is involved in Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity and the Pre-Law Mentorship Program. She looks forward to working with local high school students and encouraging them to see the value in returning to their own community to serve as an attorney.

Braelyn Maye (bm193022@ohio.edu) is a junior at Ohio University double majoring in English Pre-Law and Philosophy. She is from South Point, Ohio, a small Appalachian community where she can see West Virginia and Kentucky from the same window. At Ohio University, she serves as a Scholar Mentor for the Ohio Honors Program and is an active member of Kappa Alpha Pi and Sigma Tau Delta. She is excited to advocate for rural Ohio communities and bring greater awareness to the systemic challenges they face, including the growing shortage of lawyers.

Jayson Smith (js815621@ohio.edu) is a third-year student from Ironton, Ohio studying political science and philosophy. As a first-generation student and lifelong resident of the Appalachian region, Jayson is a staunch advocate for educational equity and passionate about expanding educational opportunity within rural communities. Jayson is also a member of the editorial board of the Undergraduate Journal of Law, Justice, and Culture at Ohio University, a Teach for America Ignite Fellow, and a Fulbright recipient.

Marshall Smittle (ms112924@ohio.edu) is from Oak Hill in Jackson County, Ohio. He is a sophomore History major in the Honors Tutorial College, with certificates in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies and Law, Justice & Culture. Outside of class he is involved in the Ohio University Mock Trial Team, Students Defending Students, Phi Alpha Delta, and the Rural Justice Lab Program. He looks forward to engaging with students through this program and helping them find and participate in opportunities related to pre-law and careers in law at Ohio University.