Student leaders bond and brainstorm on Santa Barbara beach
Santa Barbara wine country. Rolling hills streaked with hiking trails. Pacific waves lapping the beach. Sounds like a good place to kick back and reflect.
And, that’s exactly what 22 USC Law students did the weekend of Sept. 5-7.
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| El Capitan State Beach |
The Vision, Teamwork & Public Service Retreat at El Capitan Canyon was the first time the leadership of several law school student organizations met as one group to identify their collective service projects and goals for the coming school year. Students were given the tools to assist with leadership and effective project planning, stress and time management.
The opportunity allowed many organizations to see a common interest in developing projects and forums around the upcoming presidential election. The Student Bar Association and Public Interest Law Foundation leaders also shared their desire to increase the number of law students participating in service. Recognizing how rigorous law school is, time management was also a workshop topic.
Many students don’t understand that service projects, pro bono and community service, can be done in small amounts of time, two to four hours a month, throughout a semester. Student organizations also expressed interest in providing one-day service events for students.
“It’s easy to be in your own silo and not be aware that other groups are interested in or doing projects addressing issues of shared concern,” said Malissa Barnwell Scott, student programs advisor. Collaboration among student organizations can create community within the law school, maximize resources, and ultimately provide a greater service to our neighborhood community. We thought it would be advantageous for everyone to work together on service projects. This retreat was an effort to bridge that gap.”
The leaders of the student organizations that provide service-related projects was invited; many were getting to know each other for the first time.
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| Allison Sanchez presents her "Roots and Leaves" to her fellow student leaders |
After settling into what can only be described as Swiss Family Robinson-styled sleeping quarters (cabins and bunk beds) the afternoon of Sept. 5, students took part in a get to know you ice-breaker entitled “Roots and Leaves” that helped them identify the basis of their values, and ideals that drew them to their organization and to public service.
Student leaders articulated their visions, organizational goals and their implementation plans. An example of upcoming projects (and as a direct result of the retreat) is a lunch-time workshop, Lawyering with Kavenah (Intention): Perspectives on Social Justice from Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Monday, Sept. 22, in Room 7.
This collaboration between the Jewish Law Students Association and PILF will feature two Bet Tzedek attorneys who will discuss the organization's signature program, the Holocaust Survivor Justice Network, how students can volunteer in the Holocaust Clinic and social justice lawyering in the private and public sectors.
“We’ve heard from retreat participants that they are more invigorated and focused on the service goals of their organizations,” said Malissa.
Exit evaluations earned the Office of Public Service good marks for the first-time effort.
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| Parfait Mwez works on a project at the leadership conference |
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Students provided a variety of reasons why they participate in the school’s student organizations:
“I feel strongly about my organization [Law Students for Reciprocal Justice] and giving it a presence on campus,” said Allison Sanchez.
“Being in law school really puts your identity at risk,” said Rebecca Tierney, Environmental Law Society member. “Being a part of a student organization really is a way to filter this education and reclaim my individuality.”
“Learning is a lonely process,” said Community Service Action Committee Co-Chair Kim Bui. “The best way to build a community is to be involved in these organizations.”
“I think we have a responsibility to instill an ethic of public service in law students,” said PILF President Laura Riley. “We have an obligation to give back to the community.”
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