Hi everyone! My name is Shaina Belford, and I am a senior here at the University of Kentucky. I am majoring in Philosophy with minors in History and French. I am on the pre-law track with plans to attend law school after graduation. 

In addition to being an Ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences, I am an active member of my sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, Order of Omega Honors Greek Society, and the Philosophy Club. I also serve as Secretary of the French Club and love participating in DanceBlue every year. 

I love the community at UK, especially the College of Arts & Sciences. I have gained interest in the legal system through my internship, Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky. This initiative strives to research historical archives of lynching victims through the Census Bureau, Library of Congress, and African American newspapers. Specifically, working with the librarians and microfilm software in the William T. Young library have allowed me publish narratives for Kentucky victims. The goal of this project is to establish an interactive website with biographies and maps to educate others about racial injustice.

I also love my major and both of my minors as I believe they will fundamentally help me succeed in law school and beyond. I have noticed that taking courses like Ethics and Logic have significantly improved my LSAT score and critical thinking strategies. Additionally, I was able to apply for my internship through the History Department, while also working alongside the African American Studies and Geography Departments. Lastly, I consider minoring in a language to be beneficial for studying abroad and standing out in future endeavors. I’m excited to be an ambassador for the College of Arts & Sciences for the 2022-2023 school year. I love every opportunity and experience that UK has to offer, so please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions!