An Interns Prospective on The 2014 Legal Mixer

Meghan O’Garr is a Rhode Island native currently in her third year at St. Edward’s University and has interned at HSC for three semesters. The tagline in her email reads "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for," which she hopes serves as a reminder to constantly push the boundaries of one’s comfort zone. On a completely unrelated note, she had a near death drowning experience on a recent trip to Thailand.

When Justice Eva Guzman walked up to the check in table at the “Opening Doors: Meeting the demands of a 21st century global marketplace,” I was starstruck to say the least. After all, it’s not everyday that one has the opportunity to meet one of the “101 Most Influential Latino Leaders.” Justice Eva Guzman, the keynote speaker for the benefit hosted by the Gardere Law Firm, had a moving speech.

One guest remarked, “I walked away impressed with the scholars I met, and inspired by the words of Justice Eva Guzman.” In the words of HSC scholar Alan Guerrero, “Justice Eva Guzman is an inspirational woman to many in the Latino community. Her compassion and integrity are just a couple of her best aspects. Her achievements set the bar high and remind us what it means to be a proud Latino.” Guests were highly impressed by the location and throughout the night, many remarked on the beautiful view from the Gardere suite. At one point, I even considered becoming a lawyer so I could apply there and have that view as my backdrop everyday.

The most fulfilling thing for me was seeing our scholars network with the prestigious lawyers, legislatures, judges, and other prominent guests in attendance. Our older, seasoned scholars, especially those attending law school currently, are at ease with the people that will someday become their bosses, coworkers, and prospective clients.

It was the younger scholars that experienced the most growth from the experience. As a junior at St. Edward’s University, I’ve learned that it’s not what one knows, but who one knows. One of my favorite aspects of the HSC program is that our scholars learn firsthand how to network. It’s a skill that is necessary whether one is a law student or a chemist, and I think they’re doing pretty well.

2014 HSC Winter Leadership Summit!

HSC Scholars gathered once again for a day of learning and reflection during their college winter break on January 9, 2014.  The HSC Staff has decided that each conference will focus on its 5 HSC Pillars:  Academic Success & College Life, Service & Integrity, Leadership, Wellness & Identity, and Career & Graduate School Readiness.  Charles Schwab and The University of Texas at Austin’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement hosted HSC’s Winter Summit. 

This year, students gathered at the Thompson Conference Center on the campus of UT-Austin to learn from professionals and experts on Career & Graduate School Readiness.  Dr. Melissa Martinez from Texas State University & Dr. Teresa Granillo from UT-Austin spoke about their personal experiences applying to doctoral programs and succeeding as a Ph.D. student.  Michal Goldstein, owner of ATX Test Prep, informed HSC Scholars on the importance of test preparation (www.atxtestprep.com/).

During lunch, HSC Scholars and Alumni who are currently in graduate school spoke directly and personally to students about the tricks to getting into graduate school and the importance of Latinos applying to graduate school. 

In the afternoon, students received valuable information on post-college career readiness.  Merced Garza from Charles Schwab taught students the importance of financial responsibility during and after college.  Jamie Gaertner from Enterprise Holdings (www.enterpriseholdings.com/) taught students about perfecting the job interview while Juanita Baldwin from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (www.tceq.state.tx.us/) taught students on how to win the internship and get the most of that experience. 

The day concluded with a dinner hosted by Charles Schwab.  HSC Board Chair Joe Pelayo encouraged students to make the best of today’s lessons to achieve their goals.  Josefina Ibarra, HSC Alum, spoke about her career experiences and her continued journey to attend law school.

HSC appreciates the continued support of Dr. Gregory J. Vincent and The University of Texas Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (www.utexas.edu/diversity/). By underwriting the costs for the 2014 Winter Summit, our students will be successful graduate students and employees because of what they learned during the Winter Summit.