In 2008, John W. Adams P’93 and ’13 established the John W. Adams Summer Scholars Program in Socio-Legal Studies “to provide students and professors … a greater appreciation of how law affects our lives,” said Adams. “Over the course of my professional career, and especially in the business world, I have been struck by a general lack of understanding by educated and bright people of the role law plays in our society.”
Former President S. Georgia Nugent said the gift epitomizes how a donor's commitment creates learning opportunities for students. “Adams cares deeply about how the legal system shapes our society--and he seeks to create opportunities for young people to understand and explore this relationship between law and society,” she said. “We are fortunate that he felt Kenyon would be an environment especially conducive to fostering this kind of study.”
“This is not a pre-law program,” Adams said. “It is intended to provide students and professors of all disciplines the opportunity to better appreciate the law in its social context.”
“Kenyon College, an excellent liberal arts college with a proven track record for exploring different directions for education, seemed to be the perfect environment to pursue this program,” Adams said.