Past Features

March 24, 2008 (Vol. 7, No. 5)

Two Future Lawyers Will Follow Their Dreams

Alumna Kristin Burgess

Brian Pete

Law school is the next stop for a Lehman senior and a graduate of the Class of 2007— both from the Macaulay Honors College.

Senior Brian Pete and alumna Kristin Burgess ('07, B.A.) agree that the education, academic support, and financial assistance they received from Lehman and CUNY helped to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead.

Pete, a political science major, will attend New York University School of Law this fall. Burgess, an economics and political science major, was accepted to six top law schools: Yale, University of California at Berkeley, New York University, Fordham University, University of Virginia, and Duke University. She is waiting for responses from several other schools before deciding which to attend.

Both students praise the Honors College and agree that Lehman nurtured and encouraged them to realize their potential and achieve their goals. Pete always wanted to study law. "I chose to attend Macaulay Honors College because I felt it offered a truly unique experience geared toward preparing its students for graduate school," he said. "Lehman helped to prepare me by giving me access to its wonderful faculty members, who took considerable time in guiding me through my undergraduate career."

Burgess shares that opinion. "The primary preparation that Lehman provided to me came from the assistance of many people, from the various members of the admissions and financial aid staff, who went out of their way to assist me even before I was enrolled, to the professors, who understood my potential and mentored me throughout my years at Lehman," she said.

Two veteran Lehman faculty members, Professor Gary Schwartz (director, Macaulay Honors College at Lehman) and Professor Ira Bloom (Political Science), understood the intellectual potential of both students and became their advisors as well as their friends.

"Professor Schwartz was not only an academic counsel, but a friend who was always there when I needed advice," noted Pete. "Professor Bloom was an invaluable resource on law school."

While each student is contemplating a different career after law school, both believe that studying law will empower them to serve others. For Burgess, this insight came after she completed internships with nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity and New York Cares.

"A law degree will provide me with an opportunity to impact my world in the way that suits me best, through researching, writing, and using my favorite weapon—the pen—to make a difference one life at a time," she said.

She has resisted the pressure to narrow her focus before enrolling in law school and is certain only of her interest in academia and becoming a professor. Her interests include criminal law, international law, and public interest work. She adds that she is one of the only people she knows who would read The Federalist Papers for fun during the summer.

Although Pete is considering a career in corporate law, he, too, is undecided about a specific field but passionate about his desire to study law. "I feel that the law in its ideal form is the binding element of our society," he said. "The law is intended to protect all citizens regardless of race or economic standing."

In addition to earning high grades, both students faced personal challenges that tested their determination to achieve their goals. Burgess's home was lost in a fire, a tragedy that forced the family to move in with friends, and both her mother and brother suffered from serious illness. But Burgess, originally from Bermuda, credits her family with giving her strength. "Every obstacle I have faced has been turned into a triumph because my family is a team," she said.

Pete, a native New Yorker, worked part-time at several firms to pay for his transportation and school expenses: as a P.C. technician at Best Buy, as a commercial salesman at Penske Truck Leasing, and as a regional coordinator at a New Jersey-based charity. He also interned at the New York State Attorney General's office.

"My acceptance into New York University School of Law was the fruition of my work at Lehman. I truly felt that all my hard work paid off when I received my acceptance letter," he said.