The first four Master of Jurisprudence candidates crossed the stage at the School of Law Commencement in May.

“The program has been three years in the making from conception to implementation. Finally, we’ve got our first group of grads,” said Professor Colin P. Marks, who directs the program. “I have an immense sense of pride of them as well as in the program.”

The 30-credit-hour Master of Jurisprudence, or M.Jur. program is the only degree program of its kind at a Texas law school that aims to prepare professionals in a variety of fields with a broader understanding of the U.S. legal system. The program began with seven concentrations — ranging from health law to military and national security law — and has added concentrations in commercial, tax and compliance law.

In May, John Chilton Calhoun earned an M.Jur. with a Concentration in Taxation and Graham B. Scott earned an M.Jur. with a Concentration in International and Comparative Law. Two students who will complete their M.Jur. course work during the summer semester also walked at graduation: Hail Atallah M. Al Anazi and Sultan Dakeelaliah A. Aljuahani.

“With all students, I hope they take away what a special place St. Mary’s is. This is a true community,” Marks said. “Then in a professional sense, I hope they come away with a deeper understanding of the legal system.”

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