Published on March 15, 2023

Updated on July 26, 2024

Mizzou Law student Brandon Bethel (3L) has been named a 2023 Law Student of the Year by the National Jurist Magazine. Brandon has made a remarkable impact on Hulston Hall in his nearly three years as a Mizzou Law student.

“Since the day he stepped onto campus, Brandon has single-handedly improved the physical space of Mizzou Law, improving the lives of his fellow students and our entire community,” said Interim Dean Paul Litton said. “In my seventeen years at Mizzou Law, we have not seen a student make a greater impact on our community.”

Brandon is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. Towards those ends, he has transformed Hulston Hall. He helped create and maintain a Wellness Room where students can take breaks from the stresses of law school. He consistently distributes inspirational messages with information about health and wellness resources for struggling students, especially around exam time.

Additionally, Brandon has renovated many other student spaces throughout Hulston Hall. He has truly beautified the offices of the Student Bar Association, Black Law Students Association, and the Business, Entrepreneurship & Tax Law Review. Brandon has also refreshed display cases and artwork throughout the building, making our learning space more representative of our student body. On top of all that, he has significantly upgraded the student lounge and cafeteria.

Further, during his 1L year, Brandon was instrumental in resurrecting the Health Law Society student group from years of inactivity. He also serves as an incredibly active member of the student body. He is president of the MU chapter of OUTLaw, a student organization dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ law student community, as well as co-chair of the MU Women’s Law Association fundraising auction.

Why does Brandon devote incredible energy to improving the spaces around him, especially when law school can be stressful? Here are his words: “A comfortable environment allows us to have comfortable conversations. Comfort can help decrease stress and help reduce unhealthy competition. It’s important to show that these things are possible so that in the future they can be built upon to help everybody.”

To read more about Brandon in the National Jurist, click this link.