Chiara Tetreault, of Attleboro, is the first student to take advantage of a partnership between Salem State University and the University of Massachusetts School of Law that allows students to complete both a bachelor’s and law degree in six years instead of seven. The accelerated option, known as the 3+3 joint Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor, puts aspiring lawyers on a degree pathway that is reduced in time and cost.
Tetreault, who grew up in Attleboro and attended Foxboro Regional Charter School from K-12, will begin law school at UMass Dartmouth in fall 2023 after receiving her acceptance letter in February.
“I was so excited to see that all of my hard work paid off,” said Tetreault about her acceptance to UMass Law. “This goal kept me grounded in my studies, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow as a law student.”
Tetreault has balanced classes, studying for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and working to put herself through college.
“I’m so excited for Chiara to begin her law school courses, and I am confident that she will excel in law school and that the legal profession will benefit from having her among its practitioners,” said Professor Anne-Marie Hakstian, of the Bertolon School of Business, who coordinates the program and worked closely with Tetreault in mapping out her degree path.
"We are pleased to welcome Chiara to UMass Law and look forward to having her join our campus community this fall," said Dean of UMass Law Eric Mitnick. "Participating in our 3+3 program provides a fast track to an undergraduate and law degree, enabling students like Chiara to save a full year of tuition and living expenses. Salem State University, one of our 15 accelerated degree partners, provides excellent preparation for an advanced legal education, and we are proud to offer this program to undergraduates, helping them earn their law degree faster and more affordably."
The 3+3 option is available to Salem State students of any major, and several majors—criminal justice, economics, English, history, interdisciplinary/American studies, philosophy, politics/ policy/international relations, and sociology—have already established degree maps for participation.
Tetreault chose the American studies concentration within interdisciplinary studies for her undergraduate degree, which gave her the opportunity work with Chairperson Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello, who she has praised as an educator and mentor.
Tetreault went on to become a student ambassador for the interdisciplinary studies major, and she is completing a capstone project on intersectionality in law, a topic that she worked with Duclos-Orsello to devise.
"It has been my immense pleasure to teach, mentor, advise and guide Chiara through her American studies major and towards law school,” said Duclos-Orsello. “We, in the department of interdisciplinary studies are thrilled to have provided the academic home and training for SSU's first 3+3 graduate. Chiara's ability to integrate and synthesize divergent ideas and knowledge will serve her well in law school and we have no doubt that she will change the world."
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Professor Anne-Marie Hakstian
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