Over the past year, I have grown stronger in my commitment to and passion for the legal and political fields. Previously, I felt unsure about my career path, and despite being a political science major, I was never entirely certain I wanted to pursue a career in the political sphere. However, the last year has given me countless opportunities to gain firsthand experience in these fields, which have not only strengthened my confidence in my major choice but also helped me develop professionally.

       My sophomore year was nothing short of transformative, and it is hard for me to express how many amazing opportunities I had to engage with my fields of interest and what those experiences meant to me. I began the year as a newly selected Portman fellow, the first goal I set when I started my freshman year. The moment I learned about the fellowship, I knew I wouldn't give up until I was selected. I started the fall as a brand-new fellow, and despite my apprehensions, I fell in love with the program. We were consistently given opportunities to discuss pressing political issues, speak with influential government officials, and develop our career-related skills. We were challenged by discussion prompts that urged us to think outside the box or across party lines. We were given networking opportunities and attended important events to hone our professionalism and communication skills. Most importantly, we were given the chance to engage in politics in ways that are not usually accessible to college students, such as our trip to Washington, D.C., to meet elected officials. Through the many experiences offered to me by the Portman Center, I grew in my professional skills and in my confidence in myself and my career aspirations.

       Academically, I took a variety of courses that challenged my thinking and expanded my knowledge of both the legal and political fields. First, I changed my Legal Studies certificate to a second major in Law & Society. I subsequently enrolled in a few more challenging law-related classes, such as American Courts and Judicial Processes and Intro to the Legal Profession. Both of these courses provided me with foundational knowledge that has proven useful since I completed the semester. Furthermore, I took Quantitative Reasoning, a statistics class specifically catered to political science students, to be introduced to career-related research. Through this course, I completed my first research paper, which included quantitative analysis and data supporting my findings. I learned the ins and outs of research and what it looked like to do quantitative work in my field, which was an eye-opening experience. Between my legal-focused courses, my research class, and the many other courses I took, such as Politics of South Asia and International Human Rights, I developed a deep understanding of each of my fields of interest.

       Already, these experiences have made me feel like a true professional for my age and have proven valuable in a short period of time. I secured a summer internship in legal research thanks to my strong communication skills, research abilities, and knowledge of the field. I was also accepted into a highly competitive internship position for next year at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in downtown Cincinnati. I am grateful for each and every chance I have had to hone my skills and develop as a young professional, and to see my commitment pay off so quickly has been a truly remarkable experience. In the future, I hope to work on gaining even more insight and experience, specifically in the legal field, and focusing on strengthening certain transferable skills such as collaboration and time management.