Do you ever get days when you wonder if you are making a difference? Do you get so focused on day-to-day meetings with struggling students that you lose your overall perspective?
Periodically, I spend time on Linked In catching up on alums: what types of position do they have; what career choices have they made; where are they geographically. There are two types of students that I look for during my trawling: 1) graduates who enrolled through our Summer Entry Program "leg-up" course [we just finished summer number 13] and 2) graduates who were on probation at some point during their law school years.
What do I find? These graduates are practicing law in a variety of states even though we are predominately a Texans' law school: TX, LA, GA, MD, FL, CA, NM, AK, WA, WV to name a few. They practice in small, medium, and large law firms in a myriad of specialties. Some are partners. Some have won bar association or other awards and recognition. Some are solo practitioners – often after initial years at another law firm. Some are in-house counsel while others have non-legal positions such as land men, financial advisors, or hospital administrators. Some work in JAG, legislative roles, government agencies, or other public service positions. Many serve on community boards and volunteer in their communities in other capacities.
In short, they are contributing to the legal profession and their communities in valuable ways. All of them needed someone to believe in them to get to where they are today. For our SEPers, our faculty as a whole and those of us who teach in the program believed that LSAT/GPA predictors alone did not tell their stories: we chose to give them a chance. For those who were on probation at some point, they needed ASP and faculty members to believe that they could improve their academics: we chose to give them a second chance.
Isn't that what ASP is all about? Giving our students their best skills to reach their academic potential and ultimately become lawyers who give back to their communities – ASP values these things.
So next time you are discouraged about the enormous efforts you put in for minimal pay and status, spend a little time trawling. It will make you smile to see your alums' successes. It will remind you that you were honored to be an initial part of those journeys. Look forward to the impacts you can have as we begin another academic year. (Amy Jarmon)
