Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

History, Hospitality, and Houston at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum

On October 22, 1836, history was made when Sam Houston was inaugurated as the first President of the Republic of Texas, and almost two centuries later, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library is continuing that legacy with an annual celebration of the event.

Situated on a 15-acre spread that was owned by Sam Houston, the Museum was designed by architect Harry Payne in a “Jeffersonian American” style, and it houses 10,000+ artifacts, including numerous properties across the acreage that were owned by, or lived in by, Sam Houston.

All this and more are on display during the Inauguration celebration, along with remarks by the Museum Director, Derrick Birdsall, Vice-President of University Advancement, Matthew Bethea, and most years, President Alisa White.

LEAP Ambassadors have a small role in the event, typically greeting people, helping with nametags, and driving them (in golf carts) from their cars to the Museum. It’s a pleasure to do this because we have the opportunity to work with Megan Buro, while meeting some of the nicest people in Texas.

This year, we were able to speak with Representatives Trey Wharton and Janis Holt; City leaders such as Mayor Russell Humphrey; Councilman Tore Fossum; Councilman Cox; former Mayor Mac Woodward; former County Judge Danny Pierce; Chamber of Commerce President Jason Brandolini; City Manager Scott Swigert; TSUS Regent Sheila Faske; and former TSUS Regent Trisha Pollard. Provost Yenduri also attended, as did Vice-Provost Gaillard, Dean Bell, and Vice-President Eric Owen.

In addition, we had the special opportunity to meet members of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe. The Tribe was close to–and important to–Sam Houston throughout his career, assisting with the “Great Escape,” maintaining neutrality throughout the Texas Revolution, and forming strong relations with him as Texas President, Senator, and Governor. Indeed, members of the Tribe visited him in Huntsville, and the presence of Batisse and Poncho was a nice echo of this long-standing relationship.

Several Ambassadors had a chance to meet Chuck Jones, an SHSU alum who has been helpful to former Ambassadors and continues to do much for the University. We had a chance to catch up with alum Scott McCarley, who has done much to support the Museum. Other of our friends, such as Yesennia Marroquin, Gregoria McGuire, Mikey Sproat, Tom and Jan Rogers, and Lee Jamison were also there, making the mingling even more enjoyable.

The students also renewed their friendship with Lindsey Hughes, whose grandmother was Sam Hosuton’s Great-Grand Daughter. She is always friendly, supportive, and inspiring.

For the LEAP Ambassadors, the celebration offered a chance to connect the history we study with the community in which we live. From welcoming guests to renewing friendships and meeting people whose families are part of Houston’s story, we enjoyed a memorable evening on his former homestead. We are grateful to Megan Buro and the Museum staff for including us in a tradition that brings generations together—and reminds us how much there is to learn from the people around us.

LEAPing into Halloween

Written by Olivia McCaughan

Every year, the LEAP Ambassadors look forward to participating in the annual Scare on the Square, hosted by the City of Huntsville’s Main Street Program. This year was no exception! This year’s event was especially exciting because the festivities took place on Halloween itself.

After last year’s event was unfortunately canceled due to inclement weather, the community was especially eager to bring the tradition back. Families and children gathered in downtown Huntsville to enjoy an afternoon filled with games, activities, and, of course, plenty of candy!

As part of our annual tradition, LEAP Ambassadors volunteered with the Main Street Program, helping operate booths and capture photos throughout the event. We also took the opportunity to dress up for Halloween, although our costumes were no match for the creativity and attention to detail displayed by some of the children and families in attendance!

Several local businesses joined in on the fun, including Mortar and Pestle, Tamal, Facemaker, Volume Music, and Rosales & Bush Injury Law Firm. Their participation helped make the event even more special, demonstrating the continued support of Huntsville’s local businesses and their commitment to creating memorable experiences for the community.

Amanda Sewell, the Main Street Manager, shared that this year’s Scare on the Square was the biggest event she has ever hosted. With overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees, it is clear that the community was just as excited to bring this tradition back as we were. She looks forward to welcoming everyone again next year!

Scare on the Square is a wonderful example of what makes Huntsville such a special community. Events like these bring local businesses, organizations, families, and students together, providing children with a safe and enjoyable way to celebrate Halloween while creating memories that will last long after the decorations come down. We are grateful to have another year of this tradition under our belts and look forward to participating again next October!

Barristers, Bailiffs, and Ballots

Day Two of the American Moot Court Association’s South Texas Regional Tournament in Fort Worth offered SHSU’s moot court students a valuable opportunity to learn from some of the nation’s top competitors, become more familiar with Texas A&M University’s School of Law, and help out as needed.

Although none of SHSU’s teams remained in the competition, the students stayed for the day to support the tournament. The day featured four rounds: the Sweet Sixteen, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.

The bracket for the day looked like this:

1 / 16: UC Berkely (Tran and Vel) against U of Incarnate Word (Boubel and Shah)
2/15: Cal State–Long Beach (Sanzobrin and Khodjakhonova) against UT Arlington (Osei and Masood)
3/14: UT Dallas (Das and Tsa) against TCU (Morvant and Addison)
4/13: Baylor (Barrow and Alzarez) against UT Dallas (Elsadi and Baldazo)
5/12: TCU (Cantrill and Bene) against Howard Payne University (Horton and Herrera)
6/11: Baylor (Smith and Molinaro) against Howard Payne University (Sandlin and Mathis)
7/10: Baylor (Beck and Homberg) against TCU (Caldwell and Grau)
8/9: UNT (Rhoades and Ethridge) against UT Arlington (Nixon v. Thatraju)

In a couple of the rounds, a person dressed as a witch -this being Halloween- served as a judge.

After each round, members of the American Moot Court Association’s Board and staff from Texas A&M School of Law announced the winners and directed teams to their rooms for the next round.

We noticed that when teams lost, they tended to leave. We opted to stay, out of respect for the winners, and to assist as we could. Accordingly, we served as bailiffs throughout the day, helping keep the proceedings running smoothly. Every student served as a bailiff for at least one round, and most served for two. They also remained available to assist as coaches and in other capacities as needed.

Ryan Snow had the distinction of serving as bailiff for the championship round, held in Texas A&M’s courtroom. The final featured two outstanding teams: Aaron Tran and Nayan Vel of the University of California, Berkeley, and Anna Kate Beck and Maya Homberg of Baylor University.

The championship round featured a panel of five judges, many of whom brought extensive courtroom experience from both sides of the bench. Their collective experience provided a formidable audience for the finalists as they presented their arguments.

The final proved to be a closely contested affair.

After a hard-fought round, Baylor (Beck and Homberg) emerged victorious by a narrow margin, winning three ballots to two.

The top four competitors were gracious following the round. They even posed for a selfie together, and they also posed for photographers–which meant us, as the tournament didn’t have a designated photographer.

Despite the fact that all of SHSU’s competitors would have liked to have been competing on Saturday, it was a rewarding day.

The finalists were excellent, providing lessons for future competitions, and the judges’ questions were, for the most part, insightful and skilled.

Reata

After a full day of moot court, the SHSU group headed to Reata in downtown Fort Worth for dinner, where the restaurant’s distinctive Southwestern cuisine provided a fitting end to the day- and to the Fort Worth “vibe.” The group began with a starter sampler featuring an adventurous assortment of flavors, including polenta, quail, lamb fries, elk sausage, and tortillas.

The variety offered something a little different from the usual dinner fare and gave everyone a chance to sample several specialties.

The entrees were equally varied, ranging from fish and grilled chicken to chicken-fried steak, chile rellenos, Brussels sprouts, and polenta.

Everything was well received, but the chile rellenos proved to be a particular standout. Of course, no dinner would be complete without dessert, and Reata delivered on that front, too. The bread pudding crème brûlée and baked apple fritter served with ice cream were the evening’s clear favorites.

After a day of competition, service, and learning, the excellent meal provided a welcome opportunity for everyone to relax and enjoy one another’s company.

Three Rounds, Two Teams, One Goal

The LEAP Center’s two moot court teams traveled to Fort Worth to compete in the American Moot Court Association’s (AMCA) South Texas Regional Tournament, hosted by Texas A&M University School of Law. But before turning their attention to legal arguments and courtroom advocacy, the students began the day with a little civic engagement.

Students accompanied Katie Wilson, who hails from the Fort Worth area, to a Tarrant County polling site so Katie could fulfill her civic duty. With voting out of the way, the group headed to Hogan Alley for coffee before settling into the business of the day. The students then turned to last-minute preparation, with each finding a different way to manage the inevitable pre-tournament stress.

The teams also enjoyed a visit from family. Professor Mike Yawn had the opportunity to meet Katie Wilson’s parents, while Katie’s and Ryan’s families stopped by to offer encouragement. Both families stayed to watch some of the afternoon’s competition, providing a welcome reminder of the support behind the students.

LEAP fielded two teams: Katie and Allie, and Ryan and Victoria. After checking in between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., the competitors attended an orientation at 1:30, where AMCA and Texas A&M Law officials welcomed participants and (very briefly) reviewed tournament procedures.

The competition began at 2:15 p.m., with three preliminary rounds scheduled throughout the afternoon. Round Two began at 3:30, followed by the final round of the day at 4:45.

Each round featured three judges, who evaluated individual speakers in four categories: (1) knowledge of the case, (2) responses to questions, (3) forensic skill and demeanor, and (4) logic and clarity of argument. These individual scores would ultimately help determine the tournament’s top speakers.

Team success, however, depended on a separate ballot system. Each judge awarded a ballot to the team whose combined performance was stronger. With three judges per round, each team could win anywhere from zero to three ballots. Those victories would determine which teams advanced to Saturday’s Sweet Sixteen and the subsequent rounds.

By the end of Friday’s competition, both LEAP teams had completed three rounds of oral arguments. The competition was tougher–in fact, it was tougher than the scrimmage. Part of this was that many talented teams signed up for this Tournament, and part of it was the luck of the draw. Allie and Katie, for example, were randomly assigned to compete against two of the top three teams in the tournament.

All this made for stormy weather when it came to results, which were not released until all rounds concluded, with attorneys Lewis Ringel and Martin Beeson (both are also AMCA Board Members) handling the announcements. While the teams’ won-loss record was not impressed, we were very pleased to learn that Katie Wilson won a top Orator award!

Overall, it was a disappointing day in terms of results, but a productive day in terms of experiential learning. Students performed their civic duty, competed with top talent from universities across the country, explored TAMU Law’s buildings and programs, and enjoyed seeing a Bearkat win an award!

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt with the Pre-Law Society: Career Advice from the District Attorney Will Durham

On October 21, 2026, the SHSU Pre-Law Society welcomed Walker County District Attorney Will Durham to campus for a discussion on law, public service, and the realities of a legal career. Students had the opportunity to hear directly from the county’s chief prosecutor about his experiences in the legal profession, the challenges of pursuing justice, and the lessons he has learned throughout his career. For anyone considering law school or a future in public service, it was an insightful and engaging evening.

One of the aspects of Durham’s presentation that resonated most with me was his career journey. He earned a business degree from the University of Texas before attending St. Mary’s University School of Law, then began his career as a prosecutor. After spending time practicing personal injury law, he eventually returned to public service and later became Walker County District Attorney. Hearing about the different paths his career took was reassuring. For me personally, I’ve often felt pressure to have the future mapped out straight, but Durham’s story showed me that meaningful careers can often be shaped by unexpected opportunities and experiences. When he was asked about his switches between the government and private sector, he noted that the government side “kept calling him back, and it was a call he couldn’t refuse”.

Durham also shared his perspectives on some of the most difficult areas of criminal law. He spoke about juvenile justice and the challenge of balancing accountability with the belief that young people can learn from their mistakes and change. He emphasized that sometimes children can show no signs of rehabilitation, and for the safety of the community, they must be put away, as demonstrated by multiple cases he personally worked on. At the same time, he emphasized his office’s commitment to aggressively prosecuting child sex offenders and protecting victims, at every step of the process. One case he shared highlighted that sometimes the pursuit of justice means saving victims from the stress and turmoil of trial procedure, and the lengths his team goes for the process to be as smooth and as pain-free as possible.

The most impactful moment of the evening came when Durham discussed prosecutorial ethics. He reminded students that “the duty of a prosecutor is not to convict, but to administer justice.” That statement has stayed with me since the meeting. In a profession often portrayed as being about winning cases, Durham emphasized that the true responsibility of a prosecutor is to seek justice fairly and ethically. His words offered a powerful reminder that law is ultimately a profession built on service, integrity, and accountability. When asked about community outreach, he also emphasized the importance of educating and assisting everyday citizens as well in matters of the law, so that way everyone gets the knowledge and know-how to better protect themselves and loved ones. He hosts weekly education sessions, as well as other events aimed at increasing neighbors’ knowledge of the law.

The meeting concluded with Pre-Law Society elections. While most of the positions were decided by acclamation (they were unopposed), we did have a race for President. Both Tania Ramirez and Allie Plunk selflessly stepped up to serve as President, and following brief speeches and a close contest, Tania Ramirez was named President. The officers for the next academic year are:

President: Tania Ramirez
Vice President Marketing: Olivia McCaughan
Vice President Finance: Nataly Elizondo
Vice President Membership: Ruthie Passmore
Historian (Blogs): Gabe Kranz-Danet
Historian (Photos): Isis Hollis
Secretary: Isabella Melvin

Looking ahead, the Pre-Law Society has an exciting lineup of events, including:

Nov 9: Mini Law School Fair (3:30-5:00pm): https://forms.gle/MxkYPYHWyfjBA8hR9
Nov 10: Former FBI Agent Christopher Combs (first law-enforcement agent on the scene at the Pentagon on 9-11) (6:00-7:45pm): https://forms.gle/smJwwpqGz5hbCvtL6
- Nov 16: “PVIL…Separate but Equal?” (6:00-8:30pm): https://forms.gle/L7z748PiLTUV3eoi6

On November 18, we’ll have our final official PLS visit, featuring a visit from the Texas Special Prosecution Unit. As always, be on the lookout for more information @shsuleap and @prelawsocietyshsu on Instagram for the latest!

A Piece of the Alamo in Walker County

Remembering the Alamo: A Lasting Letter in Walker County

“I am besieged…” Nearly 190 years after William Barret Travis penned those words from the Alamo, his urgent appeal has a permanent place at the Walker County Courthouse. On October 17, community members gathered in Huntsville to dedicate a marker displaying one of the most famous letters in Texas history.

Written on February 24, 1836, Travis’s letter called for reinforcements as Mexican forces surrounded the Alamo. His declaration, “I shall never surrender or retreat,” and closing pledge, “Victory or Death,” still echo in political campaigns and history books. Today, the Alamo Letter Society seeks to place the 203-pound bronze plaque at all 254 Texas county courthouses, bringing this chapter of Texas history into communities across the state. Working with a local committee chaired by Ken Tarpey, the organization was able to place this marker in Walker County, the 59th such “letter” installed.

The Walker County ceremony began at 10:00 a.m., with Mac Woodward serving as a lead logistician. Texas State Representative Trey Wharton and Walker County Judge Colt Christian spoke, as did a descendant of Davy Crockett, providing a family connection to the history being commemorated. The Sons and Daughters of the Texas Revolution also helped organize the event.

LEAP students played a small role in the event. Students Jacob Wessels, Brianne Barclay, and Ryan Snow, along with former LEAP Ambassador Victoria Cardenas, assisted. Arriving at 9am, they handed out programs to the attendees, help put out flags, and otherwise made themselves useful. More important, they had the chance to participate in the occasion, learn more about their elected officials, and see a small slice of history.

Following the ceremony’s conclusion at 11:00 a.m., attendees continued the gathering with a reception and lunch at the Gibbs-Powell House—an appropriate setting for a morning devoted to preserving the past.

Many thanks to Mac Woodward for including LEAP students in this event.

A Sweet Reason to Volunteer at Meals on Wheels

“You’re the Reese-on we are here!” That was the message accompanying some sweet prizes when students from the Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics (LEAP) visited the Walker County Senior Center on October 7. Armed with Reese’s and ready to call Bingo, our volunteers enjoyed another opportunity to spend time with the Center’s seniors, and watch SHSU’s Music Therapy program do good for the community.

Bingo provided a familiar way to bring everyone together. Our students called the numbers, while players followed along in hopes of completing a winning card. With candy available as prizes, there was an especially sweet incentive to listen closely! The Reese’s also gave us a playful way to share a sincere message: the people we visit are the reason we keep coming back.

The visit included music as well. Kyle, from Sam Houston State University’s Music Therapy program, led a sing-along, adding another enjoyable activity to the day. We appreciated the opportunity to listen and see another SHSU program contributing to the Senior Center.

We also brought photos we had taken over the last year–photos reflecting many happy moments.

These proved to be a hit, with congregants combing through the photos of themselves or those they care about.

Of course, we also did our usual coterie of games, which again proved fun.

These visits offer a chance to help, but they also offer something just as valuable: time to connect with people beyond campus. Calling Bingo, sharing a laugh over a candy pun, and enjoying music together are simple activities that make volunteering rewarding.

We are grateful to the Walker County Senior Center for welcoming us and to Kyle for sharing his musical talents. October 7 was another fun day helping—and another reminder that a little time, attention, and chocolate can go a long way!

Students Take Mock LSAT as part of their Law-School Timeline

Law School Timeline: Start Early, Finish Strong

It’s not easy to get more than 100 students to attend school on a Saturday for a three-hour test. But as part of their preparation for law school, 105 pre-law students took a practice LSAT, professionally administered and scored.

Preparing for law school begins long before submitting an application. For undergraduates planning to enter law school immediately after graduation, a four-year plan can make the process more manageable—and help prevent senior-year surprises!

Freshman Year: Establish Your Starting Point. Focus on strong grades, develop good study habits, and take courses that strengthen reading, writing, and analytical skills. If possible, take the Mock LSAT offered by the Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics (LEAP). An early practice test provides a baseline and introduces the exam while there is plenty of time to improve.
Sophomore Year: Get Connected. Join the Pre-Law Society by your sophomore year. Attend meetings, meet legal professionals, explore law schools, and learn from students navigating the application process. Build relationships with professors who may eventually write recommendation letters. Begin to research law schools and identify a target LSAT score.
Junior Year: Measure Your Progress. Aim to score consistently within 5–10 points of that target on timed practice tests by junior year. If a larger gap remains, adjust your preparation now. Continue protecting your GPA while developing a realistic school list.
Summer Before Senior Year: Prepare Intensively. Take a comprehensive LSAT preparation course and treat studying as a serious commitment. Complete timed practice exams, review mistakes carefully, and register for the August LSAT before its registration deadline. Begin drafting your personal statement and requesting recommendation letters.
August of Senior Year: Take the LSAT. Plan to take the official exam in August, entering senior year with a major application component completed. Monitor score-release dates and consider whether another attempt would strengthen your applications.
By November 1: Submit Your Applications. Set November 1 as your goal for submitting complete, polished applications, including transcripts, recommendations, and required essays. This deadline will help you be eligible for early admissions, and it will also allow you to apply when all the scholarship money is still available (fifty percent of scholarship money is allocated by January 1).
Check each school’s requirements and deadlines individually.

Start early, stay consistent, and give yourself options–which begins with taking a Mock LSAT.

	Bob Orkand on Learning from Best in the West…
	Linda McKenzie on There is never a dull moment a…
	Multi-Platform Media… on Fun and Flavor: Chilly at the…
	Highlights from the… on Glazing-A-Trail with Lauren…
	The Civic Leadership… on Foundational Activities of the…