“It was the class I was the most excited to go to,” he said. “I was the most engaged. I decided that I should probably do something in this aspect.”
Exploring law enforcement
Early in his major, Hill explored the viewpoint of law enforcement through a policing class.
“I interviewed a couple of officers in St. Louis. I got a better understanding of their perspective based off of their training and their requirements of making sure that – one – they get home safe and – two – everyone around them is safe as well,” he said. “It was kind of an eye-opening experience.”
Networking and interning
Hill joined the Theta Chi social fraternity and was accepted into the NSCS honors society. He landed an internship and became a runner for three local criminal defense attorneys – who are MSU graduates.
There, he’s learning the ins and outs of subpoenas, bail bonds, trial discovery, court date prep and more.
“The further I go into the internship, the more difficult tasks I get. It gives me an opportunity to grow, not only in my work, but as a person.”
“I really like the opportunities through the school and through the community. There are a lot of graduates who are still around the Springfield area. They offer internships and advice on anything you need.”
Raising the bar
After graduation, Hill intends to go to law school. While he hasn’t yet decided, he’s thinking of going into corporate law. In the meantime, his classes at MSU are providing him with crucial skills and experience.
“Now I’m in Law 341. It’s legal research and writing. So, I’m learning how to do the type of writing that I’ll do in law school. I’m getting a head-start on that, which I would assume would kind of place me above some of my peers when I’m in law school. I’m always being pushed to learn more.”