KARLA DAVIS-JAMISON:
STETSON LAW’S NEW ASSISTANT DEAN
FOR STRATEGIC ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
“I didn’t go to college thinking I’m going to be an admissions
professional,” said Karla Davis-Jamison, the new
assistant dean for strategic enrollment management at
Stetson. “Instead, my career path just led me into law
school admissions and enrollment management.”
Assistant Dean Davis-Jamison was born in Gainesville, studied
public relations at the University of Florida as an undergraduate,
and has deep roots in the state. After graduating from UF,
Davis-Jamison worked in public broadcasting in West Palm
Beach and at an advertising agency in Fort Lauderdale before
landing in admissions at Nova Southeastern University Shepard
Broad College of Law.
“I knew nothing about law school admissions and recruiting
when I started,” Davis-Jamison explained. “I did know public
relations, marketing and communications, so I leaned into those
skills in my first admissions position, and it worked.”
Davis-Jamison said she found her niche in law school admissions,
where she discovered opportunities to counsel, advise,
coach and offer guidance to prospective students who wanted to
meet their career goals. She learned the legal industry working
closely with the dean of the law school.
From Nova Southeastern, Davis-Jamison moved to Florida
A&M University College of Law, an HBCU in Orlando, where
she established the admissions and financial aid office for the
new law school.
“I had a tremendous opportunity to work with underrepresented
student groups,” said Davis-Jamison. “It was incredibly rewarding
to see students who never saw law school as a possibility
graduate and move into their careers.”
Encouraged by colleagues,
Davis-Jamison
left FAMU Law
to pursue a role at
Chicago-Kent College
of Law. Moving from
Orlando, Florida, to
Chicago, Illinois, in
January was a great
transition, with a different
climate and new
cultures. At Chicago-
Kent, Davis-Jamison
said that she had an
opportunity to design
creative programming
Karla Davis-Jamison
and diversity initiatives
for attracting prospective students.
Another opportunity, this time in graduate admissions at
Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, provided a balance
of challenge and professional opportunities for growth. “Medill
gave me an opportunity to tap back into my PR and communications
background while gaining some experience in graduate
admissions and enrollment management.”
After 12 years in Chicago, Davis-Jamison said that she was
anxious to return to Florida. A colleague encouraged her to look
at Stetson Law, which Davis-Jamison knew for its reputation
for advocacy and legal writing. Digging deeper, she said she was
impressed by Stetson’s diversity and social justice programs.
“I was excited about an opportunity to be a part of that,” said
Davis-Jamison.
Still happily settling into her new office at Stetson Law, Davis-
Jamison has begun looking at ways to get alumni more engaged
with newly admitted students and sharing the Stetson legacy.
“I love helping prospective students find their way to law school
and I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to do that back in my
home state, and here at Stetson,” said Davis-Jamison.
B Y B R A N D I PALMER
B R I E F S
I love helping prospective students find their
way to law school.
— Karla Davis-Jamison
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