San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX recently inducted twelve students into Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX) paralegal honor society. This is a great triumph for these students as the qualifications for acceptance are tough. Students must meet the following requirements:
- Maintain GPA of 3.5 in all paralegal classes
- Maintain GPA of 3.25 in all general classes
- Be a functioning member of the College’s paralegal club
- Complete 33 credit hours in legal specialty classes
- Complete nine credit hours in general education classes
- Exhibit superior performance in academics
The American Bar Association has only approved a handful of paralegal programs in community colleges, and San Jacinto College is one of them. Ernest Davila, the Colleges North Campus business and professional department chair says this approval is indicative that its program is one of the finest in the country. “That means you students being inducted into the LEX paralegal honor society are among the best of the best,” he added.
The induction ceremony invited Pati Limon de Rodriguez to be the keynote speaker. De Rodriguez is the executive director of the Houston Hispanic Bar Association. She pointed out the importance of paralegals and emphasized the need for ethics in the profession. De Rodriguez urged students to uphold fairness, honesty, respect, compassion and responsibility in all aspects of their professions.
Paralegal graduates can expect to earn a lucrative salary. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics expects the profession to grow 18 percent through 2020. Average annual wages in the Houston area are $59,743 according to the Texas Workforce Commission, and the national average is $51,840.
Students graduating from San Jacinto College have enjoyed a job placement rate of 90 to 95 percent with almost 40 percent employed with the Harris County District Attorney. And those graduating with honors can almost be assured of a job in the area.
