Career Path Of A Law Student At Stanford Law School
Isabel's undergraduate studies in psychology and American studies sparked an interest in law's societal impact, leading to two years with Teach for America in San Antonio—an experience "most informed" their current path. This was followed by helping launch a charter school, before applying to Stanford Law School to further explore the connection between law and policy, demonstrating a commitment to community service and a dedication to bridging theory with practical experience.
Law School, Public Service, Policy Impact, Community Engagement, Career Change
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Isabel Mendiola
Law Student
Stanford Law School
Claremont McKenna College 2018
Stanford Law School (JD Forthcoming)
Psychology
Law
Legal
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Psychology research in college sparked an interest in the societal impact on well-being, leading to a career shift toward law.
2. Two years with Teach for America in San Antonio provided valuable on-the-ground experience with policy effects, influencing her law school journey.
3. Helping establish a charter school during the pandemic honed problem-solving skills and reinforced her commitment to impacting communities through law.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
I studied psychology and American studies in college. My main extracurricular and college job was psychology research.
I initially pursued psychology because I thought I wanted to be a clinical psychologist. I added American studies because I was interested in how society impacts an individual's well-being.
Through studying American studies, I realized that so much of our well-being, both individually and as a society, is connected to policies and laws that affect us. That's where my interest in law school began.
I wanted to give back to my community and gain more firsthand experience with the issues and policies we discussed theoretically in college. I felt many people lacked the perspective of truly knowing the individuals their policies would affect.
So, I taught for Teach for America for two years in San Antonio, which was an amazing experience. I believe that's where I gained the most experience that informs my time in law school now.
After teaching, I had the opportunity to help start a school in East Palo Alto. This was during the pandemic, making it very challenging, but I learned a lot about work ethic, grit, and problem-solving.
After four years of teaching, I loved it, but I was ready to learn more about the laws and policies whose effects I witnessed in the classroom. So, I applied to law school and am now at Stanford Law School.