Contact: Kenneth Billings
STARKVILLE, Miss.--When Todd Butler enrolled at Mississippi State-Meridian out of East Central Community College, the possibility of attending law school always was in the back of his mind.
Growing up in Morton, Butler developed interests in history and politics early on, but it wasn't until the second half of his studies in business at the university campus that he was fully prepared to take the leap into law. His story is not unique, despite the fact that the land-grant institution he attended long has been known for agricultural and engineering programs, and also--in more recent times--architecture and veterinary medicine.
In fact, nearly 100 MSU graduates currently are attending the law schools of Mississippi College and the University of Mississippi.
Jim Rosenblatt, MC's law dean, has high praise for MSU grads choosing to prepare for the legal profession at his school.
"We are proud of our students who come from Mississippi State," said Rosenblatt. "They not only are good students, but active participants in the range of organizations and activities offered by our school. They hold our highest leadership positions, are active contributors to student life and have earned substantial academic scholarships."
Todd Butler and several fellow law students credit many aspects of their MSU educational experiences with preparing them for the highly competitive and intense demands of a law school environment.
"Law school is a whole different animal and there is no way to get ready for it academically," said the 25-year-old now finishing his third year in the MC program on a full scholarship. "For me, the personal experiences and interest my (MSU) instructors and professors showed in my future are what made the difference."
Butler, ranked second in his class and scheduled to complete his legal education this spring, is editor of the Mississippi College Law Review. A contemporary in Oxford is Parker Wiseman, a former MSU Student Association president now serving as president of the Ole Miss law school student body.
Wiseman, a Starkville resident who also graduates this spring, said many of the issues and situations he faced while serving in MSU student government pushed him to a level of responsibility and maturity that have proven invaluable in pursuit of his law degree.
"I certainly had experiences in the classroom that helped prepare me somewhat with my background in political science and learning about the basic structure of law and government," the 2003 MSU graduate recalled recently. "That helped build the foundation, but as much as anything, having the opportunity to be a student leader as president during my senior year helped me gain confidence in myself through the challenges I had in that role.
"By rising up to meet those challenges head on and overcome them, I got the chance to find out what was inside of me," Wiseman added. "That's as important as anything else when you are dealing with that first year of law school."
A final example is Justin Starling of Mt. Olive, who entered MC on full scholarship after receiving a political science degree from MSU in 2006. Considered by Dean Rosenblatt to be one of the best applicants in his freshman class, the second-year student already is executive editor of MC law review and member of the prestigious Moot Court Board.
"There is no way to completely prepare for law school, but I felt I was more than adequately prepared," Starling said. "The political science department did a really good job of requiring analytical reasoning and writing and encouraging deeper thought and analysis.
"I really appreciate the preparation MSU provided me, and I feel my time there has prepared me to become a successful part of the legal community," he continued. "The whole campus encouraged success among students by rewarding and accommodating successful students. The extracurricular activities and organizations available for those interested in politics and law also encouraged an enthusiasm for law, government and politics."
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more about preparatory efforts for careers in law, contact MSU Pre-Law Society adviser Doug Feig. The political science professor can be reached at 662-325-7863 or feig@ps.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.