When I accepted a position as an academic support professional, I had an idea of what my duties and responsibilities would entail. As a law student, I was a teaching assistant and ultimately supervised teaching assistants hired through the academic support office. I worked closely with the director of the academic support program and I saw her daily interactions with students and the various programs she developed. I worked with her for most of my law school career and thought I knew all there was to know about academic support work. One thing I did not realize was that your personality and the culture of the law school dictate the various duties one might undertake. I have a student affairs background so many of the things I do are rooted in student development theory. I try to be aware of the needs of students who are also parents and have early morning, evening, and weekend meeting options for them. I try to recognize when it is important to have personal discussions rather than focus on the planned academic task. I try to attend various programs put on by student groups to support my students as they take on leadership roles. I meet with students on weekends and away from the law school building to help them regroup and begin their journey to sit for the bar exam a second time. There are a number of other things that most don’t know I do. I do these things because my students inspire me and I am personally invested in their success. Others invested in me and I hope that my students believe I invest in them. Imagine a world without teachers?
