Rutgers–Camden Alumna Appointed Interim Dean of FIU Law School 

Michelle D. Mason RLAW'95 has been appointed interim dean of Florida International University College of Law.

Mason graduated from Rutgers Law School in Camden in 1995 and received her bachelor's degree in English from Rutgers University–Newark in 1991. Originally from Jersey City, Mason said her Rutgers education prepared her professionally, but it also stirred in her a commitment to a career in education.

“Yes, I love the law,” Mason said. “But the practice of law was not where I felt I was of most use.”

Mason explained that as the only child of a single mother, she knew her mother wanted a better life for her.

“My mother believed becoming a lawyer would provide a secure future for me,” Mason said. “However, I had other feelings about that.

“Education is definitely a transformative experience. I obtained my law license, and I keep it current, but to practice law was not my calling.”

In addition to her role as interim dean, Mason holds dual administrative appointments as senior associate dean for experiential learning and associate dean for enrollment, providing comprehensive oversight of the college’s clinical programs, pro bono initiatives, externships, admissions, and enrollment strategy.

FIU is one of the nation's largest, most diverse institutions of higher education. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest university in Florida and the eighth-largest public university in the United States by enrollment.

“Partly because I was a first-generation student, I understand the challenges that go with that experience,” Mason said. “And I did work in legal services for a time, where I saw people who really were in dire circumstances. That experience connected with me, but I felt legal education was, in a way, more hopeful.”

Mason said the work she does at FIU College of Law speaks to her heart because “law school is not easy!” She said law students require support and an individualized approach to their education.

“I work with students to find their strengths and ensure they are a good fit with the school,” Mason said. “I like to make sure they stay on their path.”

Mason said the philosophy she shares with students is to not let fear overcome them. “Not everyone has the privilege to pursue their dreams, but I show our students they can do it. When something matters to you, you find ways to get it done. I am the students’ gateway to getting it done.”

With more than two decades of leadership in legal education, Mason has shaped every stage of the student experience at FIU—from recruitment and professional development to curricular innovation and bar readiness.

She has led the design and expansion of FIU Law’s clinical and practice-based offerings, launching initiatives such as the FIU Law Practice low-bono program, which provides discounted legal services especially for underrepresented communities; the FIU Embrace Law Clinic for adults with developmental disabilities; and a medical-legal partnership supporting veterans and other underserved communities. As associate dean for enrollment, she applied data-informed strategies to drive recruitment, retention, and student success.

“I learned so much from my mother,” Mason added. “When I was in law school, I got a 'C' in my contracts class. My mother said to figure out what I did wrong and fix it for the next semester. And I drilled down and fixed it.

“My mother worked two or three jobs so I could go to an all-girls high school because she thought I would learn leadership there. She believed in me. In my work at FIU, I get to be a person who believes in our students.

“I meet them where they are, and we go from there.”

Learn more about Rutgers Law School.