Are you interested in going to law school after you graduate from college? Students in English at UNK prepare for a career in law by pursing a minor or in some cases a double major. Today we feature four people at different stages of their careers who are or were Pre-Law English majors.
The Department of English offers genuine thanks to Dr. Charles Rowling in Political Science who serves as an important mentor to English major students in his role as the faculty advisor for the Pre-Law group on campus. Dr. Rowling also spearheaded the popular minor in Public Law. You can check it out HERE.
· Jordan Minnick is a senior Pre-Law English major (writing emphasis) from Kearney. She is also pursuing two minors in Public Law and Ethnic Studies. Recently, she received the Harry H. Hoffman Scholarship from the Department of English. At UNK Student Research Week 2021, she presented original scholarship on Sylvia Plath’s poetry. She works at the Kearney Public Library as a clerk. Jordan will graduate with her B.A. in December 2021
· Cassie Wojcik graduated from UNK in May 2021 with a major in English and two minors: Family Studies and Public Law. Cassie was in the UNK Honors Program. She also worked as a writing tutor for three years and interned at a local law firm for two. She was accepted to the University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln with a full tuition scholarship. She will enter as a 1L in August 2021.
· Micah Carlson graduated from UNK in 2019 with a double major in Political Science and English. While an undergraduate, he completed an internship in the office of Congressman Adrian Smith. He then began pursuing his law degree (J.D.) at the University of Iowa College of Law in the fall 2019. Since then, Micah has been working as a law clerk with the firm McGrath North Mullin & Kratz in Omaha during summer and winter breaks. He will graduate from the University of Iowa College of Law in May 2022.
Reflecting on his time at UNK and his career, Micah shared the following statement:
“My time spent at UNK, and especially with my advisors, laid the foundation for my success in applying to and succeeding in law school and beyond.”
· Emily Wood graduated from UNK in 2015 with a major in English and a minor in Business Administration. She then entered the University of Nebraska College of Law and graduated with her J.D. in May 2018. In law school she did two programs of concentrated study: (1) litigation skills with a criminal emphasis, and (2) the solo and small firm programs.
Emily shared the following statement about her career pursuits since graduating from UNK to give current students a picture of what to expect if they decide to enroll in law school:
earned a CALI Excellence for the Future Award (which stands for the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) in Legal Profession (which is an ethics class).
became a certified Nebraska Mediator.
competed and placed in a mediation competition at Loyola University School of Law in Chicago.
participated in two clinics: the criminal clinic, in which I worked as a prosecutor for the Lancaster County Attorney's office. I was able to try two jury trials and won both of them.
received the 2017-2018 Outstanding Criminal Clinic Student of the Year Award, in recognition of hard work and dedication, which was only given out to one student for the entire year.
participated in the Children's Justice Clinic, in which I worked as a Court-Appointed Guardian ad Litem. I was then appointed to represent children in juvenile court.
In addition to her work in juvenile court, Emily serves as a deputy county attorney in Red Willow County and an associate attorney for Colfer, Wood, Lyons & Wood in McCook, Nebraska. She also reports that “outside of the classroom I made lifelong friends at Nebraska Law who I still talk to every day.”