1. My STEP Project was a month-long study abroad at Oxford University. It was a Pre-Law Program that included two courses: Introduction to the Law and Anglo-American Legal Systems. We also had field trips to the Oxford Crown Court and the Royal Court in London among other places in Oxford.
2. This program pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to think about myself and the world around me in a new way. I found out more about what I am capable of and what I am interested in. I got a chance to look at the law in more detail and understand it in a way that I never had before. This understanding was tested and I got to prove to myself that I could apply the law and present it correctly in a court setting. I also learned how to adapt with changes as plans changed and I worked together with a new group of peers of varying perspectives and ideas. These new perspectives from my peers as well as our lecturers and professors added to how I now view the world. Each person came into their position in different ways and came from different backgrounds. They taught me that there’s no one way to approach the law.
3. One main event of the program was a moot court during the last week where we formed in groups of two to argue an international court case. This event allowed me to try something new and do research into a subject that I hadn’t studied in depth before. Arguing the case in front of our professors was also new to me, but very rewarding. Our professors and lecturers offered valuable information and advice to us every day. The guest lecturers in particular let me know about areas of the law that I had never considered before.
Field trips to the local courts and law education buildings were also enlightening. We had the chance to see the similarities and differences between US and UK law. We started by learning the history of how the legal systems developed and where the US diverged from English Law. After learning about it in class, we got to see in person in court how different the systems are from the barristers and solicitors to the wigs worn during trial. Despite these differences, the hierarchy of courts and how cases move through them is very similar.
The relationships I formed with the other Pre-Law students who went on this trip was also transformational. None of us really knew each other before the trip, but we all became very close very quickly. It was nice to be able to talk about our similar goals and our plans for the future after this program. I am very grateful that I get to see them this fall and continue to learn from them and be with them as we get closer and closer to our goal of going to law school.
4. This program was very significant in changing how I will view my academics and personal and professional goals in the future. As an International Studies major, I now have a better foundational knowledge of international law and an understanding of how cultures and histories affect that law. Professionally, I got hands-on experience that I would have never gotten in a classroom that I can take with me in the workplace in the future. Personally, I formed valuable relationships with other students as well as lecturers that allowed me to look at every part of my life in a new way.
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera