Larry Hayman, Esq. took over as the president of the Midwestern Association for Pre-Law Advisors (MAPLA) on Nov. 1.
At Ohio University, Hayman serves as director of legal engagement and the pre-law program at the Center for Law, Justice and Culture and the Center for Advising, Career and Experiential Learning.
MAPLA is a professional organization made up of faculty and staff at undergraduate institutions who advise students and alumni interested in attending law school, as well as law school representatives from across the Midwest. MAPLA members advise students in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Outgoing president Martha Kirby, senior academic advisor at the University of Iowa, said of Hayman, “MAPLA is fortunate to have Larry Hayman as our next president. As president-elect, Larry led our organization through an inclusive and thorough strategic planning process resulting in significant positive changes to MAPLA. We look forward to working toward the fulfillment of our plan under his thoughtful leadership.”
Hayman has served on the MAPLA board of directors since 2016. He served two years as president-elect, and chaired MAPLA’s annual conference in Minneapolis in September 2022. He is an OHIO alumnus, having earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2003.
“Larry’s experience, knowledge, and dedication to pre-law advising are unmatched," said Kevin Uhalde, associate professor of history and director of the Center for Law, Justice and Culture in the College of Arts and Sciences. "He has helped transform pre-law education at Ohio University in his eight years here. Pre-law majors in the College of Arts and Sciences have increased over 40 percent in that time. The acceptance rate of students who apply to law school has been well over 90 percent. There are very few of those students who would not say that Larry played at least some part in preparing them and helping them through their journey.”
“I look forward to leading MAPLA for the next two years,” Hayman said. “My goals include realizing MAPLA’s vision to make the organization ‘the most comprehensive, inclusive, and supportive resource for pre-law advisors in the Midwest.’ We will continue to expand our (1) diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through outreach and funding (2) advising, teaching, and experiential learning resources available to membership and (3) opportunities for professional development through webinars and networking opportunities.”