Liberal Arts Majors: Philosophy; Political Science; Communication Arts and Sciences
Hometown: West Chester, PA
Current Location: Philadelphia, PA
What enrichment activities did you participate in as a student?
I was a Paterno Fellow, a Schreyer Honors Scholar, and I studied abroad in Athens, Greece, in Spring 2012 through Penn State's Athens Program. I actually wrote an article for the College of Liberal Arts about the program. My semester abroad was easily the highlight of my time at Penn State.
What was your first job after graduating from Penn State?
After graduating from Penn State, I enrolled at the University of Virginia School of Law. I graduated from law school in 2015, then joined Cozen O'Connor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as an associate attorney. I am still with the firm today, and a link to my firm bio can be found here.
What was your favorite class and/or who was your favorite faculty member?
One class that sticks out to me is PHIL 200 (Ancient Philosophy) with Dr. Christopher Long, who has since become a Dean at Michigan State University. I also really enjoyed all of my CAS classes, such as CAS 215 (Argumentation) and CAS 321 (Rhetoric and the Law) both taught by Margaret Michels. Finally, I enjoyed taking law-related political science classes with Adam Nye, such as Constitutional Law, Civil Liberties, and American Judicial Behavior.
How did your liberal arts education and skills prepare you for your life after graduation?
The most important skills gained from a liberal arts education, in my opinion, are strong writing, reading, and, perhaps most importantly, critical thinking skills. If I review a resume and see a liberal arts major, I assume that the individual is well-rounded and he/she can effectively communicate. And that doesn't just apply to lawyers. Every employer in every profession is looking for someone who can read, write, and think.
What networking advice would you share with current students?
Networking is absolutely essential to job-hunting. During the summer after my first year in law school, I made it a point to have coffee or lunch with at least one Penn State or UVA Law alumni every week. Their insight and advice was invaluable when I applied for jobs in Philadelphia.
I would advise current students to take advantage of the enormous Penn State alumni base. Once you figure out what career(s) you're interested in, use the College of Liberal Arts to find Penn State alumni in that profession. The college created an entire Career Enrichment Network for this very purpose. Once you find alumni, invite them out for coffee or ask if you can arrange a 10-15 minute phone call. Ask them what drew them to their job, what kind of person would be successful in that job, and whether they have any advice for someone interested in that profession. People love to talk about themselves, so it really is easier than you think. Plus, the more informational interviews that you do, the more comfortable you will be in actual job interviews.
What role have mentors played in your career progression?
I am fortunate that my firm encourages mentoring from the moment we walk in the door. I had two mentors when I was a summer associate—one partner who mentored my writing and one associate who mentored me on firm life generally. Then, when I joined the firm after graduation, I was assigned a mentor in my practice group, and we still have monthly lunches to this day.