In this issue we feature an article about newly appointed Magistrate Judge Donald Wilkerson, the first minority to serve on the Southern District of Illinois judiciary. The article is authored by Jennifer Claire Sprague, who is a law student in the Class of 2006 at Southern Illinois University School of Law.

Outreach to the law student community is an important goal of the Minority and Women Participation Committee. As the ISBA looks to expand and diversify its membership base, so does our Committee. There are many opportunities for involvement within the ISBA, at the Committee level and otherwise. We who are by now "seasoned" attorneys have much to offer to law students who are approaching personal and professional crossroads. One such way is to provide them a forum in The Challenge, to let their voices be heard on law-related issues.

Whether you are a law student or know of one, please pass along our invitation to submit an article, short or lengthy, for publication in The Challenge. It is rewarding to see one's writing in print, and there is no end to the range of subjects of interest to our readers. We encourage you to submit articles directly via email to smbrazas@barrettandgilbert.com.