American Constitution Society honors KU Law student and chapter with national recognition

Tue, 06/02/2026

Casey Bacot

LAWRENCE — The American Constitution Society has recognized the University of Kansas School of Law and one of its student leaders with national honors for leadership and programming.

Staci Smith, a third-year law student and former president of KU Law’s ACS chapter, was selected as a member of the organization’s 2026 Next Generation Leaders class. Smith, from Brookfield, Wisconsin, is one of 23 law students nationwide chosen for the prestigious program, which recognizes recent and forthcoming law school graduates who have demonstrated exceptional leadership through their work with ACS student chapters.

In addition, the KU Law ACS student chapter received a 2026 ACS Programming Award, an honor presented annually to the organization’s most active and engaged chapters. According to ACS, the award recognizes chapters that help expand and strengthen the progressive legal network in their communities, shape legal debate and promote a progressive vision of the Constitution on their campuses.

“I’m very excited to contribute to the broader community,” Smith said. “This past year, I served as ACS president at KU and had the opportunity to put on a lot of great programming, but it would not have been possible without an amazing executive board and the support, mentorship and volunteer hours from amazing faculty.”

Smith is the first KU Law student selected as a Next Generation Leader. She will join ACS’s national network of more than 400 NGLs, who receive access to career development resources, mentorship and networking opportunities while helping shape the future of the organization.

NGL applicants are selected through a competitive application process. According to ACS, the selection committee looks for students who demonstrate strong legal skills, a commitment to the organization’s mission and a record of leadership and community engagement.

Both honors will be recognized at the ACS National Convention, scheduled for June 18-20 in Washington, DC.