When students gather on the Quad at 4 p.m. Friday, September 26, for Kalamazoo College’s annual K-Fest, they’ll find music, free food, and a wide array of student organizations inviting them to get involved. Among the booths will be the Aspiring Law Student Organization (ALSO), led this year by Libby McFarlen ’26, who is determined to bring new life to the group.
McFarlen said the organization has been somewhat dormant until recently when she was encouraged to take over from last year’s president, who believed McFarlen’s passion and connections made her the right person to lead. The leadership team now supporting McFarlen includes Vice President Laura Goia ’27, an exchange student from Romania; Secretary Ella Miller ’26; and Treasurer Isabelle Mason ’27. Together, they’re working to establish a strong presence on campus, beginning with their K-Fest student-involvement fair booth.
McFarlen said the group’s mission is to make the law feel like a less-intimidating profession for current students, regardless of whether they ultimately plan to pursue it professionally. She wants ALSO to balance programming—such as panels featuring attorneys and alumni—with more lighthearted events designed to spark interest. One such light-hearted event will be a movie night featuring the comedy film Legally Blonde, which she calls a perfect introduction to law for students who might feel intimidated by the field.
A highlight of the fall schedule is a campus visit from the assistant director of admissions at Harvard Law School, who will meet with students October 22. McFarlen hopes that opportunities like this will give students a clearer picture of the pathways available to them.
“I want to bring in as many attorneys as possible from different fields of law,” she said. “A lot of people think being a lawyer is only about arguing in a courtroom, but there are so many areas—sports law, election law, patent law. Students deserve to see that breadth.”
Another key goal is to connect students with K alumni.
“Hearing from someone who sat in the same classrooms and then went on to pass the bar is incredibly valuable,” McFarlen said. “Alums can talk about how K prepared them in a way that other schools can’t.”
Her own journey highlights the importance of those real-world connections. Over the summer, McFarlen completed a legal internship with the City of Grand Rapids, where she worked alongside prosecuting and litigation attorneys. As the only undergraduate in a group of law school interns, she was tasked with legal research, case preparation and assisting attorneys in court. The experience, she said, confirmed her passion for criminal prosecution and underscored how difficult it can be for undergraduates to access hands-on opportunities in law.
“I was the youngest in the office, but it didn’t matter,” she said. “I learned so much, and I want other students to have those opportunities, too.”
Looking ahead, ALSO is exploring the possibility of creating a mock trial team, organizing law-themed trivia nights, and hosting panels with government attorneys. McFarlen emphasized that inclusivity will remain central to the group’s mission.
“Law can seem like a predominantly white, elite field,” she said. “We want students of color and students from all identities to see attorneys who look like them and know this path is open to them.”
McFarlen said ALSO is meant to be both a support system and a starting point for students who already plan to apply to law school and for those who are simply curious.
“Anyone is welcome to join whether they’re preparing for the LSAT or just wondering what lawyers actually do,” she said.
For McFarlen, K-Fest will be an important opportunity to connect with students and spark interest in the year ahead.
“In order for us to host great programs, we need people to show up,” she said. “We’re excited to welcome anyone who wants to learn more about law.”