2018 alumna, Victoria Kelley, is a 2L at American University. She has been named Online Editor for American University’s Legislation and Policy Brief where she recently posted “The United States Needs a New Special Inspector General.”
Missouri State was an obvious choice for me when applying to undergrad because of its proximity to my hometown and its affordability. While these aspects proved beneficial to me, the most influential part of my MoState experience was my decision to get my degree in Political Science. The Political Science Department has helped set me up for success in law school through its courses and hands-on learning experiences.
First, the courses in the program prepared me for law school and introduced me to subject areas that I now want to pursue a career in. Dr. Pybas’s several constitutional law courses provided me with a foundational understanding of the subject and prepared me for law school courses. Going into law school, I had more familiarity than most of my classmates with what the reading, notes, courses, and exams looked like. As someone interest in working in government, I need a strong understanding of constitutional law and the parameters of how government can act. To this day, I reference my notes from Dr. Pybas’s Powers and Restraints course to help in my classes.
Second, the program offers hands-on learning that has proved beneficial to my law school experience. One of these hands-on learning experiences was my internships with both Senator McCaskill and the Missouri Democratic Party. It was the program’s relationship with both offices that allowed me the opportunity to eventually work in both internships. My internships also helped me to prepare for the internships I have had during law school (Congresswoman Robin Kelly, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and the House Oversight Committee Subcommittee on Environment) through assisting me in making connections and getting practical experience.
The other beneficial hands-on learning was Model United Nations. This organization not only offered me leadership experience, it also developed my writing and speaking skills. These skills happen to be two of the most important skills developed in law school.