Manor College Grad: “I Want to be Part of the Change.”

Tenise Newton ‘14, ‘23 will attend Widener University’s Delaware Law School in the Fall.

A woman in graduation regalia receives her diploma.

Tenise Newton ‘14, ‘23 admits that law school was a childhood dream – something she could fall in love with, but a dream that she felt she couldn’t reach.

At Swenson Arts and Technology High School in Northeast Philadelphia, Newton began taking dual enrollment classes studying the legal environment. It’s where she met Manor College Dean Mary Sims. It’s where she first knew that law school aspirations could become a reality.

“I would just have these conversations with Mary and it helped me know it was possible to do the work and get where I wanted to go,” Newton said.

On August 19, Newton’s childhood dream will come true as she attends her first class at Widener University’s Delaware Law School. Manor College features a partnership with Widener Law School. Manor students are admitted to Delaware Law after:

Completing 75 percent of their bachelor’s degree
Earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher every semester at Manor
Achieved an LSAT score that meets or exceeds the median LSAT at Delaware Law’s most recent entering class
Satisfied all Delaware Law admission requirements

“At Manor, I was blessed with different people who helped me persevere,” Newton said. “I thought about quitting a few times, but I’d get an email from Professor (Mary) Sims or Professor (Mike) Landis. Them pushing me and believing in me helped me believe in myself. It gave me the motivation to continue my education and feel capable of doing things I didn’t.”

Sims credited Newton for her writing talent and ability to analyze and evaluate laws, situations and circumstances.

“She has what it takes to (go to law school) because her goal is to help people,” Sims said. “She will do that no matter what she encounters because she has a great attitude about life and is committed to being a lawyer.”

Reaching her goal wasn’t easy. While studying for her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies, Newton worked a full-time job in sales at a nearby hotel. At the same time, Newton was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and gave birth to her son.

A typical day for Newton begins early – getting her son dressed, walking the dog and getting ready for work. She works eight hours at the hotel, then she puts her son to bed and tries to do homework or decompress. Online learning became her best friend.

“COVID was such a blessing in disguise because I could do online courses,” Newton said. “It gave me the opportunity to get work done whenever I could on my time – to adjust to a new lifestyle.”

After tackling law school, Newton looks to become an advocate for people from marginalized communities.

“I want to be part of the change and bridge educational gaps,” Newton said. “We’ve come a long way but we have a long way to go. There’s a lot going on in the world and it’s sad. I didn’t want to be sad about it anymore. I want to go do something about it. It’s my duty to have an active voice.”