Associate Dean of Students Wins Innovation and Impact Award

Jennifer Cerny, Yale Law School’s Associate Dean of Students, is passionate about setting students up for success both within and outside of their careers.

It’s only fitting that this spring, Cerny is being honored for her own success.

In May, Cerny received the National Association of Law Student Affairs Professionals (NALSAP) Innovation and Impact Award, which recognizes individuals who have implemented innovative programming with a positive impact on the law student experience, for her work bringing a “sober curious” initiative to the Yale Law School campus. 

The phrase “sober curious” was coined by author Ruby Warrington in her 2019 book Sober Curious; the ensuing movement centered on curiosity about alcohol’s impacts and openness to limiting alcoholic intake for personal or wellness reasons. Last year, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) brought in speakers (including Warrington), organized educational events, and began offering a wide range of creative mocktails and other nonalcoholic alternatives at campus functions. 

Yale Law School is not a dry campus; Cerny said the program was not intended to take options away, but rather to “meet students where they are and offer support.” 

“Our students are achievers, and they [have] drive. If we can teach them to be mindful and set boundaries and consider their relationship with things like alcohol, we’re giving them every building block for success as professionals,” she said.

This topic was the subject of one of two presentations Cerny delivered at NALSAP’s annual conference in May. The other presentation focused on the need for holistic wellness programming at law schools.

Prior to the pandemic, there was an impression that wellness at law schools was akin to “a chair massage,” Cerny said. “We had to take it a step further and ask how we really get to the root of what our students need.”

These days, the wellness portfolio at Yale Law School includes assistance finding clinical therapists, speaker series, workshops, social events, and support groups led by clinical therapist Mia Wilson, among other offerings. All these programs are offered in the name of helping students thrive at Yale and setting them up for success in their professional lives.

“It feels great to be recognized, but what’s more important is that we continue to stay nimble,” Cerny said. “A core mission of our Student Affairs team is to provide wellness and resiliency skills our students can apply outside of the classroom. This foundation is critical for when they graduate and face the demands of everyday life as a legal professional. So, when we see a trend, we explore it.”