Cedarville Graduate Earns Admission to Harvard Law
Cedarville University political science graduate Erin Mitchell will begin classes at Harvard Law School this fall after preparing through academic excellence, leadership, public policy experiences and a Christ-centered commitment to serving others through a future legal career.
Gaining admission to Harvard Law School is an achievement saved for a select few. With an acceptance rate of about 9%, the institution ranks among the nation’s most competitive law schools.
On Sept. 2, Cedarville University graduate Erin Mitchell will join Harvard’s class of 2029, pursuing a legal education with plans to focus on property rights litigation or constitutional issues involving government authority. Mitchell, who hails from Eatonville, Washington, graduated from Cedarville with her undergraduate degree in political science in 2026.
Mitchell’s interest in the legal profession began at a young age and deepened through conversations with practicing attorneys. As a Cedarville student, she competed on both Cedarville’s mock trial and speech and debate teams.
Although attending Harvard Law School had long been an aspiration, Mitchell questioned whether admission was realistically within her reach.
“In the back of my mind, I always wanted to try to get into Harvard, but it was never something I set as a goal for myself, because it’s such a difficult school to get into,” said Mitchell. “I didn’t know what God had planned for me, and I wanted to hold loosely to my own plans.”
How Cedarville Prepared Erin Mitchell for Law School
During her time at Cedarville, Mitchell intentionally pursued academic excellence, leadership opportunities and professional experiences that prepared her for law school while strengthening her personal convictions. She served as chapter president of the Alexander Hamilton Society and founded the Cedarville chapter of the Federalist Society. She was also a Liberty and Learning Fellow in Public Policy and Economics at the Fund for American Studies and spent a semester in Oxford studying English common law and constitutional law, broadening her understanding of legal traditions and their influence on the American judicial system.
Mitchell said her experience as a congressional intern in the U.S. House of Representatives inspired her to establish Cedarville's Federalist Society chapter. She brought to Cedarville an organization that connects students interested in law and public policy with attorneys, judges and scholars representing a range of legal perspectives. Today, the chapter regularly hosts guest speakers, creating opportunities for students to engage in thoughtful discussions about constitutional law and public policy.
Leadership and Faith Shape a Future Attorney
Despite an impressive list of accomplishments, Mitchell said her greatest priority was developing character rather than simply building a résumé.
“Schools care about what you did outside of the classroom to engage with other people and develop leadership skills as well as academic skills," said Mitchell, “but I had to remember to always put God first. I didn’t want to do something just to put it on my résumé but to intentionally invest my time in activities that would help me serve him better.”
Mitchell applied to 12 law schools and was accepted to six. She said Harvard ultimately stood out because of its internationally recognized academic reputation, collaborative learning environment and opportunities to connect with a Christian community on campus.
She also expressed interest in joining the efforts of the Synergy Initiative, which exists to see church plants growing and multiplying in cities where the presence of the church is lacking. She describes her next steps as “being faithful in the here and now” even before knowing what the future holds.
“I want to show the hope I have in Christ by placing my identity in him and not immediate achievements or in the outcomes of the future,” said Mitchell. “I would love to work for an organization in litigation that would allow me to advocate for people and be a witness in my career.”
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.