Niagara University is proud to announce a historic and transformative gift that will elevate the experience and success of its pre-law students.
The landmark contribution of $5 million by the family of alumnus George Wiegers, ’58—the largest to an undergraduate pre-law program in the region—will provide exceptional opportunities to aspiring legal professionals through the establishment of an on-campus moot courtroom and pre-law library, an endowed directorship, and expanded resources.
Wiegers knew that Niagara’s pre-law program could be “truly special” — one that could be counted among the best in the region and the nation — but he passed away before his vision was realized. However, his family has not only honored Wiegers’ dream, but they also established a $2 million challenge match as part of the gift to inspire others to join them in advancing it.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Wiegers family for this transformative $5 million gift to our pre-law program,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Niagara University president. “Their generous contribution represents an extraordinary investment in our students’ futures and in the next generation of legal professionals. Their support will directly empower our pre-law students as they pursue their academic aspirations, and open pathways to outstanding post-graduation opportunities.”
The gift will support the following initiatives:
- The Robert J. Clune, ’58, Endowed Director in Law and Jurisprudence, who will build upon the program’s legacy of preparing future generations of Niagara-educated lawyers to achieve their academic and professional goals at the highest levels.
- The Hon. Jerome C. Gorski, ’58, Moot Courtroom, which will set a new standard in experiential learning for undergraduates, offering them uniquely realistic mock trial and moot court experiences. Niagara University will be one of a select few institutions nationwide to have an on-campus moot courtroom built specifically for undergraduates.
- The George A. Wiegers Pre-Law Library, which will give pre-law students access to reference materials and digital resources focused on various fields of law, law schools and the law school application process, and legal careers, while offering a distinctive space for meetings, presentations, remote legal internships, and networking events.
Additionally, a fund that will support the preparation of pre-law students for their post-graduate academic pursuits will be established.
For more than 135 years, Niagara University has been a leader in educating students for careers in law and related fields and in helping them earn admission to the nation’s top law schools, including Harvard, Columbia, Virginia, Georgetown, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Boston University, George Washington, Fordham, and the University at Buffalo, among many others. Our graduates include law firm partners, state and federal judges, and leaders in government, politics, and business.
With this gift, the program is poised to prepare students to achieve unsurpassed success in their academic and professional pursuits.
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