Kendra N. Cadogan (middle) attends a "Meet & Greet" with members of the Black Law Students Association, Channa Gordon '20 (far left) and Natalia Marte '19 (far right).
New director to expand our focus on diversity and inclusion
The School of Law’s continuing efforts to build a diverse and welcoming community have taken another step forward with the appointment of Kendra N. Cadogan as director of diversity, equity and inclusion.
"Law schools benefit from having a wide range of diversity among faculty, students and staff, because the diversity of the larger society is reflected, and when students go out into the world they’re better prepared to practice and to effect change."
Cadogan most recently served as an academic adviser and coordinator for the Daniel V. Acker Scholars Program, for gifted undergraduate students of color at the University at Buffalo. In that capacity, she created an intensive orientation program to acclimate students from diverse and underrepresented communities to UB’s campus.
Before joining the UB staff, Cadogan was a resident director for the State University of New York at Brockport. She also has substantial experience in data-driven program assessment, including as co-author of a self-study project for UB’s Cora P. Maloney College, which fosters connections between students and their living and learning community.
Her new role at the School of Law will affect all members of our law school community. “Kendra will be working with community partners, University departments, and with law administration, faculty and students to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in our community,” said Dean Aviva Abramovsky in announcing Cadogan’s appointment. “She will also work to continue UB Law’s award-winning Discover Law program.”
“This is a position that will touch students across the spectrum,” says Bernadette Gargano, vice dean for student affairs. “We want to continue to focus on our pipeline to law school programs in order to increase diversity in the profession as a whole, to increase diversity within our own communities including first-generation college and students of color, and to make sure we keep inclusion and equity as a main focus throughout the school.”
Cadogan earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UB, her B.A. in psychology and sociology and a master of education degree.
We spoke directly with Kendra about her new role at the law school.
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Your job title includes responsibility for diversity, equity and inclusion. How do you define each of these in relation to the law school?
Diversity refers to the entire range of human difference, from race and socioeconomic status to gender, nationality, age, gender identity, religion and sexual orientation. Law schools benefit from having a wide range of diversity among faculty, students and staff, because the diversity of the larger society is reflected, and when students go out into the world they’re better prepared to practice and to effect change. Equity refers to treating people fairly across differences so that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. And inclusion is about making a deliberate effort to ensure that differences aren’t just tolerated but actively included and welcomed. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels respected.
Up to now, you’ve mostly worked with undergraduate programs. What’s different about doing this work in a graduate school environment?
The biggest difference in a professional school is a greater range of ages. Graduate students tend to be a bit older and a little more settled with respect to their professional goals. The biggest difference at the law school is the opportunity to work really closely with more faculty on these issues. In this position, I have the opportunity to effect change on a larger scale.
How focused on diversity is the law school’s student body, staff and faculty now?
The School of Law is definitely on the right track. During my interview process, one thing that I really appreciated was how many faculty members, staff members and students came to the interview and wanted to ask questions and be involved. It was clear that this is a school that is committed to looking at any areas in which more work can be done and then bringing resources to bear on those areas. People are very collaborative here, and I’ve had so many people reach out to me.
You’ve developed assessment tools in this area and used data to drive decision-making about programs. Why this focus on data analytics?
The idea is to use different kinds of assessments, both quantitative and qualitative, to get a snapshot of where we are, always with the idea that there’s a certain place we want to be. The numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story, but they indicate where we need to initiate change. The community is always changing, and every year there’s a new class, so you have to assess continuously. This allows you to revise where necessary and monitor those benchmarks.
You’ll also be carrying forward the highly successful Discover Law program for promising students of color. What’s the status of funding for that program, and why is the law school so committed to it?
This year we were very lucky to receive a President’s Circle grant from UB, and individual donors and big firms are also making contributions that will allow us to continue this program. It’s so important to the School of Law because it’s indicative of our commitment to increasing the number of underrepresented people in the profession, period. That’s why people are so passionate about it.
How can alumni help?
I’m a UB graduate, and I know what a close-knit community Buffalo is. Alumni are our most important asset and resource. They’ve been so generous across the board, willing to mentor our students, willing to volunteer and give back, and we need them to continue to do those things.
Know a bright undergraduate scholar who might benefit from our DiscoverLaw program?
Applications are being accepted through Monday, April 16th. We are looking for talented and diverse undergraduate students who are considering pursuing a legal career and, possibly, a legal education at the School of Law. Please continue to share information about Discover Law with your networks and encourage any eligible candidates you may know to apply.