I am so very happy with the hybrid program and I want to see this program and the students in it succeed. I want to help the next class of hybrid students adjust to the demands of law school and the changes that the first semester will bring to their lives. The hybrid program is unique in that many of the students have had various life experiences before attending law school. Many will be juggling full-time jobs and/or family obligations, as I have done successfully this past year. I would like to use my many life experiences and my past year of experience as a hybrid law student to encourage and mentor the next class of hybrid students.

Law school is difficult for everyone. However, I think certain students face unique difficulties depending on their circumstances. I want to be of service to UDSL’s incoming students and to do what I can to ease the transition for those from diverse or non-traditional backgrounds, like myself. Ultimately, I think it is most important to impart the wisdom of my mantra. Law school is hard, but so is almost everything that is worth doing. Our time at UDSL is a special opportunity to embrace the challenges, lean into the opportunities to grow personally and professionally, and more simply, to “do the work.”

When I came to UDSL, I was impressed by the fact they even had Dean’s Fellows and even more so by the caliber of people they were. I remember thinking right off the bat, “I want to be them my 2L year.” Coming into the unknown environment of law school and not knowing what to expect, the Dean’s Fellows were calming during a tumultuous time. While I have had many “learning opportunities” in my 1L year, I have had fundamentally more success. As a Dean’s Fellow, I want to help people navigate those “learning opportunities” and grow from them. Additionally, I want to take my experience and help them transition into their 1L year. But most of all, I want to provide 1Ls with a sense of reassurance that the Dean’s Fellows have given me. I will be honest with oncoming students that law school is not easy, and there is no one path to success. But I will promise them there is an individual who is willing to help them along the way if they are willing to put in the work.

I have an understanding how difficult the school and family balance can be for certain students and am excited to work with them on time management and finding a good routine. Of course, that type of time management training will relate to all incoming law students who need to adjust to the workload and demands of law school. It would be a privilege to work to develop another generation of law students.

Achieving an appropriate perspective is important—errors in law school are minor compared to the consequences of errors in the professional arena. This is the time when we are free to question, make mistakes and learn the nuances of the law. As a Dean’s Fellow, I also bring my core values into the program. The University of Dayton has strong values of service and I think this inherently attracts people who strive to help others.

I believe that my skills in teaching will also enable me to lead with distinction. As a Student Pastor, there was no greater feeling than watching a student "get" whatever topic we were teaching about. In the same way, I want to assist incoming students "get" the hard topics that they will learn as a 1L. I don't believe in "spoon-feeding" answers to people, but rather, I believe in assisting them to dig deep and discover those answers for themselves. Not only does this assist them in learning the necessary topics, but it also empowers them to research and dig through case law themselves as they continue to study law at UDSL.

My favorite part of law school is how it made me grow as a person, and how much fun it can be. Law school has already made such a huge impact on every aspect of my life. I want to help students grow and thrive, even through the trying times. I am enthusiastic about the idea of serving the UDSL’s Academic Success Program. I see how much potential the program has for our student body and want to offer my creativity and organization to make it better.

My 1L year turned out to be rather enjoyable, all I need was the right prospective, and I hope I can pass that along. UDSL is a special school, and I feel a passion to convey that to new students. Everyone should feel welcomed and invited to succeed here. If I could provide that feeling for new students, my contribution will be met.

When I was in learning communities, I felt that the more open and receptive my Dean’s Fellow was, the more I benefitted. I would like to do that and more. As a non-traditional student, my experience in getting into law school had its own readjustment compared to other students. Thus, I feel that I would be able to share my unique experience with getting back to school with students. I’m excited about being a Dean’s fellow because I enjoy connecting with people and I like to help where I can. Ultimately, I feel the Dean’s Fellow program, when utilized to its full potential can really benefit the students 

The most impactful thing I learned from my leadership training was that “[c]onnection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” Brene Brown, Daring Greatly. In law school it can be easy to forget about this because we are so focused on ourselves, on the curve, on the competition, and on studying the material. It can truly feel like a solo endeavor. But, I think the Dean’s Fellow program fosters connection and encourages students to reach out so that they do not feel like they have to handle this alone.

I am excited by the opportunity to pay forward the assistance and understanding I was provided by my Dean's Fellows. I believe that my experience starting over from a fundamental level and learning quickly could be very helpful to those struggling to adapt. I also believe that having relatable pitfalls will help others manage the very same pitfalls.