Lola Oduyeru says that after attending the School of Law’s Discover Plus program she realized her legal career dreams were possible.
“The PLUS program helped me realize that having a successful career in the legal field is indeed attainable for students from diverse backgrounds,” she said. “The PLUS program has also encouraged me forge ahead in my pursuit of becoming an attorney.”
The program, co-sponsored by the Law School Admissions Council, gives students first-hand experience with the power of law. The month of June is spent in community and classroom activities followed by an internship in a legal or business setting in July.
As a recent graduate of UMKC’s political science program, Lola will be spending one month this summer working in the office of U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Missouri). The internship is sponsored by UMKC’s Truman Center Bootstrap Internship Program.
The competitive internship program includes academic credit. Lola had to write a personal statement, include letters of recommendations, transcripts and a resume. Her intern duties will include researching legislation, attending hearings and briefings, answering letters, phones and running errands.
“I am looking forward to a very busy yet rewarding summer. I expect to learn more about the inner workings of the legislative process in a more practical sense,” Lola said. “There is only so much that one can learn in the classroom, and I cannot think of a better way to learn about out legislative process that to experience and observe it firsthand.”
Lola hopes the critical thinking and networking skills she learned in the PLUS program will help her while in Washington D.C. as well as in her future career. She also gained work experience during her PLUS program internship with the Jackson County – Family Court Division.
“I hope to make use of the networking skills I gained from the PLUS program. I am very interested in the non-profit sector and hope to meet people that are working in that field,” she said.
Lola will spend the next year gaining work and volunteer experience before attending law school in Fall 2013.
Find out more about the Discover PLUS program online.