When I started college, I thought I had it all figured out. I would obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, subsequently attending graduate school to achieve my goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. Two years of prerequisites, two years of nursing school, and two years of graduate school. I worked hard for two years and earned exceptional grades that led to my acceptance at one of the top nursing schools in the country. However, the more I explored the field, the more I realized that nursing was not the right career for me. My subsequent withdrawal from nursing …show more content…
I also considered what originally led me to nursing school, namely, my passion to help people. I thought back to my time working at a boutique law firm in DC. With my classroom and real-life experiences, I realized that I could use my strengths and help people through the practice of law. The legal system has always fascinated me, but my plan – to build a career in nursing – had prevented me from fully evaluating alternative career paths. Now that nursing school was no longer a factor, I decided to consider carefully whether my interest in the field of law could be the foundation of a rewarding career choice.
With a renewed vision, I re-enrolled in college and graduated with a BA in Psychology. I subsequently obtained a position at Mayer Brown LLP as a legal assistant. I worked in the firm’s Government and Global Trade group supporting attorneys, lobbyists, and government affairs professionals. I was first exposed to public policy in this position, and found that I loved it. Witnessing the complexity of law and government and how they coalesce was fascinating. At Mayer Brown, I gained invaluable knowledge of litigation, lobbying laws, and governmental