*Earlier this month, the College of Law at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, was renamed Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. It is now the first law school in the country named after a practicing Black attorney.
Will Smith is using his star power to help raise money for the law school, and the actor was on hand for the renaming ceremony on Feb 8.
“Ben has been an absolutely spectacular friend and guide, and that’s why it was important for me to be here with him today,” Smith said during a speech alongside Crump (watch the Instagram clip below). “There are very, very few people in the world with a heart like this; so it is my deepest honor and my deepest pleasure to be here to support and to show some love. Congratulations on this historic honor.”
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Per a news release: “Attorney Ben Crump chose to partner with St. Thomas University (STU) and its College of Law, in part, because it is situated in a global city that is replete with ethnic and racial diversity. Also, STU is one of the country’s most diverse law schools. It was ranked #1 “Greatest Resources for Minority Students” in the 2022 and 2023 Princeton Review Best Law Schools’ rankings, and preLaw Magazine rated it among the top-ten Best Schools for Racial Justice (2022) in the United States.”
“It is a privilege to be a part of the St. Thomas University legacy through the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. We have come such a long way in the journey to equality, but we are not there yet,” said Attorney Crump. ‘The future changemakers and civil justice leaders that will matriculate from St. Thomas will soon be passed the torch from today’s civil rights icons and I have every confidence that they will meet the moment.”
According to the news release, “Eighty-three percent of the school’s graduates are employed or pursue an advanced degree within 10 months following their graduation.”
“The naming of the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University is the latest step in an effort to encourage bridge-building among the legal profession, law enforcement, and our communities,” said David A. Armstrong, J.D., President of St. Thomas University.
“Ben and I couldn’t be more different politically, but we share a passion for justice, and the hope that by working together, we can continue to drive meaningful change. Our faith in God, and our belief in the tenets laid out by our founding fathers in the US Constitution, enable us to go beyond race and politics, and focus on the work necessary to truly make the United States the home of the free, and the brave,” Armstrong continued
To rename the school, a $10 million campaign was launched to raise funds to grant scholarships to law students enrolled at St. Thomas University.
According to TMZ, Smith, George Clinton, and Bishop T.D. Jakes has donated a significant amount that remains confidential. The campaign has also received $1 million from Truist Bank and $1.5 million from an anonymous donor.
“Today was an emotional, celebratory day that was elevated by the generosity of the benefactors to this groundbreaking law school, including my dear friend Will Smith,” said Crump after the renaming ceremony. “I was proud to share the stage with Will as we marked this momentous occasion. It is not an understatement to say that lives will be changed because of the selflessness of the college’s donors. We will look back on this moment as one that kicked open doors and broke glass ceilings for our future legal leaders and changemakers.”
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