By Ronica Stromberg
Brooklyn Buell grew up on a Sandhills ranch caring for the environment and wanting to continue protecting it in a career outside of ranching. Now a junior at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, she has identified environmental law as that career and the 3-3 Law Program as an affordable shortcut to it.
The College of Law 3-3 program allows students to earn their bachelor's degree and their juris doctor degree in six years rather than the traditional seven years. Buell is finishing required courses for her environmental and sustainability studies major in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources this year. In August 2026, she will use remaining credits, like electives, to take her first year of law classes.
The 3-3 program and the law school offer generous scholarships to students meeting set criteria. Buell said she received a full tuition scholarship from the program based on her application, LSAT scores and academics. As a student in the College of Agriculture and School of Natural Resources, she was also able to apply for a full-ride scholarship and is waiting to hear on that.
The scholarships made the program especially attractive to her and her parents, she said. Her parents have supported her taking part in the 3-3 program and encouraged her that she can become a lawyer, she said. She credited her family with building her interest in the environment and land conservation.
Follow the rest of Brooklyn's story at https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/what/newstory.aspx?fid=1318