Meet Some of Our Law Students

The curriculum at Champlain is very similar to what you see on a law school website. I was able to go into my internship in Philadelphia the summer after my sophomore year, where I worked in this big-city law firm in business litigation, bankruptcy law, and civil litigation, and I knew what I was being asked to do. After the courses at Champlain, law school becomes sort of "Law School 2.0" by the time you get there.

Last year in the EHS Signature Course, I took a Social Justice Intensive class. Like most classes at Champlain, it was discussion-based. You're not reading a book, so there's no opportunity to miss the reading and stay back and be quiet. You really get engaged. You talk about social justice, current events, racial equality, and problems and topics that are really relevant to what's happening in our country today, right now. It inspires students and you find that spark. You find that passion.

I think that "We Do Good Work" especially ties in with the EHS Signature Courses because they want you to develop as a person. Champlain isn't about building robots. Nothing about Champlain is generic. The college wants you to develop critical thinking skills. Maybe you've come from a high school that didn't challenge you. Champlain will fix that really quickly.

I chose Law because I was not sure what I wanted my career to be, but I saw Law as an option that would open many doors. I knew I wanted to make a difference, and I had-and still have-a lot of areas of interest, from women's rights to criminal justice reform. An undergraduate degree in Law would prepare me for many different career options.

In my second year, I took two Core classes with a focus on West African religion and art. At the end of the semester we got the opportunity to travel to Zanzibar, an archipelago outside of Tanzania. We were able to really appreciate the history we'd been learning about. The best outcome of that trip was the creation of TechDren, a Champlain student-led nonprofit that returns regularly to Zanzibar to distribute technology to local schools.

I started playing rugby with the Women's Rugby team and knew little about the sport, but I quickly fell in love with it. I missed being on a team sport and instantly found a family in rugby. I became treasurer and helped to raise $2,000 for the men and women's team. Now I'm a team captain, and I look forward to playing rugby after college, too.

I chose Champlain because their Law program is so different from any other school. They don't water down the material and make you wait to learn. The Champlain faculty are outstanding-they've all been to law school and actually care if you succeed.

The Academic Coaching centers are very useful. I didn't expect to get so much help, but the tutors there know what they're doing. I would not have passed Statistics without the Math Lab.

My professors have improved my professional manner, and this program prepares you for law school like no other. For example, writing memorandums in Tony Perriello's Legal Research & Writing class was extremely useful. They gave me a lot of experience in writing technically and conducting research for a specific hypothetical.

I knew that I wanted to study law and that I was passionate about it, but law as an undergraduate bachelor's degree does not exist in collegiate institutions as a mainstream degree. Champlain's Law major is the only one of its kind, that I am aware of. We assume in the United States that you'll wait until law school to study the law, but I didn't want to wait, and Champlain provided me with that opportunity.

I intern at the Champlain College Prisoner Rights Law Initiative, one of the few of its kind at the undergraduate level . One of my professors is the sole legal educator within the prisons of the state of Vermont. Together, we visit prisons across Vermont and teach classes on different legal subjects, including sentencing, probation, and parole. We also attend law library sessions at the different facilities to help inmates conduct legal research. Being able to teach and interact with this population in a positive way has been a dream opportunity. 

Twice. During my sophomore year, I took Heroes and Heroines: The Arabian Nights, and as part of the class we traveled to Jordan over spring break. This was my first time on a plane and going to another country. I had the most incredible time visiting ancient Roman ruins, riding camels in the desert, and swimming in the Dead Sea.

Then the summer after my sophomore year, I studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, for two months, during which time I took two classes. I had a wonderful time, filled with exploration and educational experiences that I will always cherish.