Like Minds: Launchpad Program Welcomes Second Round of Exceptional Scholars

This year’s new Launchpad cohort has already benefited from the program. 

Dipita Das, a 2024–25 Scholar from New York City, said that the program’s detailed guidance on LSAT preparation has been enormously helpful. 

“It was extremely difficult for me to study for the LSAT during college,” said Das, who provided financial support to her family by working several jobs during school. “I was never in a single place, and sometimes not even in the same borough, for more than a few hours a day. Until Launchpad, no one sat me down and helped me visualize LSAT prep.” 

So far, the LSAT metrics from the first cohort are impressive, according to Assistant Director of Admissions for the Launchpad Scholars Program Catherine Feuille ’22.

Scholars from the first year who have taken an official LSAT saw a median score improvement of over 15 points on their diagnostic exams, with some Scholars’ scores improving by as much as 30 points; five Scholars scored over 170. 

“This kind of improvement is something to celebrate since it will allow the Scholars, who have already excelled in so many ways, to demonstrate their full potential and maximize the opportunities available to them,” said Feuille. 

Having that kind of support helps smooth the path for Scholars like Das who sometimes face obstacles that stand in the way of their dreams. Growing up in low-income neighborhoods in New York City after her family immigrated from Bangladesh, Das said she was exposed at an early age to inequities and discrimination in her community. That spurred her interest in the law.

“I saw how the legal system can be used as a weapon for ostracization of marginalized communities — as well as a tool for stability,” said Das, who went on to attend Fordham University and is now a litigation paralegal. “Those experiences made me learn advocacy as a survival skill.” 

Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Miriam Ingber ’04 said the first two cohorts of Launchpad Scholars have been impressive and she is excited to watch the continued growth of the program.

“We were absolutely amazed by the talent and enthusiasm of the 2023–24 cohort, and this year’s cohort has been just as exceptional,” she said. “It’s been an incredibly positive start to the program and we are excited to build on this success in the future.”

“We are thrilled to see the continued success and growth of the Launchpad Scholars Program in its second year,” said Michèle Penzer ’93, global recruiting committee chair at Latham & Watkins. “Partnering with Yale Law School on this initiative allows us to support and empower talented individuals from underrepresented communities, providing them with the tools and mentorship needed to excel in their legal careers. We are proud to contribute to a program that not only broadens access to legal education but also enriches the diversity and strength of the legal profession.” 

The key elements of the program remain the same in the second year. Scholars gain one-on-one mentorship, LSAT preparation, and step-by-step guidance through the application process. In June, they visit Yale Law School for a weeklong intensive program including mock classes, application workshops, and visits to legal employers. 

Added to the docket for the second year, Feuille said, is a yearlong focus on drafting and workshopping personal statements and other application essays; quarterly virtual social events; and extended LSAT support for those who may need a longer timeframe to succeed on their exams.

At the Welcome Summit in New York City this August, hosted by Latham & Watkins, the Scholars got to know one another, met with Latham lawyers and members of the Yale Law School admissions team, and got a taste of the year’s programming with short workshops on the basics of applying to law school, crafting resumes, and tackling the LSAT.

They also heard candid advice from Yale Law School alumni. “You belong in whatever room you are in,” one speaker told them.

Andy Flores, a 2024–25 Scholar, listened intently to the sessions.

Flores is a Mississippi native who is passionate about civil rights and education law. He’s troubled when a good education is treated like a privilege versus a right. Flores is committed to using a legal education to help improve public policy for education. 

“My biggest interests are in cultivating opportunities for students of all backgrounds,” he said, adding that shifting policy will involve “changing public narratives around who is deserving, and empathy and care around the policies that we construct.”

Flores was the first in his family to attend college, which he said was only possible with help from his mother and others in his life. 

“My life has been saved by the cohort model, having people in my corner who are unconditionally supporting me,” he said. For Flores, Launchpad’s promise of community was a major part of its appeal. 

Kaschondralynn (Kasi) Brown, another Scholar, said that she, too, applied to Launchpad in part because it offered cohort-based support. “I wanted a community to support me on this path,” she said. 

Brown was raised by her maternal grandmother in South Park, Houston, where she saw firsthand the impact of incarceration on marginalized communities — and on families. 

“My mother was imprisoned when I was young. People often forget that incarceration doesn't just affect the person behind bars — it devastates entire families,” said Brown. Having an incarcerated parent can increase the odds that children follow in the same path, creating what Brown called an “intergenerational curse.”

When people do not have the means to hire proper representation, they’ll often be forced to accept plea deals as their only option, she said. Brown wants to become a criminal defense attorney and do pro bono work in civil rights so she can give her clients other options. 

“A lot of people in underserved communities don’t have a support system, but I want to be that for them and their families. No one should have to pay for the rights that are inherently granted to them,” said Brown. 

Brown, Flores, and Das have already found a sense of community with their peers in the Launchpad Scholars Program. Though the year has only just begun, Das already knows she’s found the community she needed. 

“From walking in I felt a strong sense of warmth and community from every person I talked to,” said Das. “There have been multiple moments where I felt a breath of fresh air — that I’m not alone in having this thought or this fear. It’s made me feel like my dreams are within grasp.”