Month: April 2022

Alumni Attorney Talks

Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series which aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.

Captain David Sanders 

Administrative Clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet 
Learn more about military legal careers by clicking here.

 

Captain Sanders is also a JAG Officer in the Illinois Army National Guard where he serves as the Senior Trial Counsel (prosecutor) for the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade,  Normal, Illinois. 

 

QUICK FACTS ABOUT David Sanders
    • Law School: Southern Illinois University Law School
    • UIUC Undergraduate Major: Political Science with History Minor
    • David’s Three Words to Describe an Attorney:

Honest | Compassionate | Steadfast

CHECK OUT THIS INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEW BELOW!  

Wellness for Pre-Law Students

Wellness. Balance. Meditation. Mindfulness. These are big buzzwords. Everyone is talking about how to feel better, but why does it matter? And why should you, a future lawyer, consider incorporating these tools into your life?

“In its purest form, wellness involves doing whatever you need to do to feel better and be healthier on a day-to-day basis. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving a general sense of well-being and overall health, and anyone who claims otherwise is selling you something.”

Lawyer Mental Health and Wellness: Why It Matters (clio.com)

As this quote shares, wellness is whatever makes you feel better, day-to-day. And it is important to feel as good as you can so that you can really show up for yourself, your studies, and your (future) clients. When you feel good, your mind is clearer, you process information better, communication increases, and your overall sense of purpose and satisfaction rises.

Let’s explore different types of wellness and how you can incorporate those that align with you into your life.

Water: Our bodies absolutely need water to survive. And our bodies need to be properly hydrated to thrive. Consider evaluating your water intake and increasing it if it is not enough.

Movement: Our bodies need to move! Perhaps that is going for a walk or taking a HIIT class, make sure you move your body to keep it (and your mind!) strong and sharp. Consider visiting the ARC on campus Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) – Campus Recreation (illinois.edu) to explore different ways you can move.

Mental Health: Mental health is everything. When you feel better, you do better. Stress and anxiety can impact your ability to focus and work at your best level. There are many wonderful resources on campus such as counselors, group therapy, workshops, and more! Visit the UIUC Counseling Center website for information. Looking to attend a workshop? Explore the Outreach Series here.

Meditation: Meditation has been shown to provide wonderful benefits. Healthline states that meditation may reduce stress, control anxiety, promote emotional health, enhance self-awareness, improve sleep, enhance memory, and more. Consider getting started with daily mindfulness sessions on campus! Here’s a great meditation resource for Test Anxiety from Northwestern: Test Anxiety: Breathe – Northwestern University.

Financial Health: Learning how to manage your finances is very important to your overall wellness! According to the American Psychological Association, 72% of Americans are worried about money. Being stressed about money can lead to poor sleep, decreased mental health, and more. Learning how to work with your finances is going to pay dividends! Explore UIUC’s Financial Wellbeing program to learn how you can enhance your financial wellness!

At PLAS, we are committed to supporting your academic and professional growth and that means supporting your overall wellness, too. Visit our Canvas page for additional Wellness resources!

April Snapshot

April is always a busy month of the academic year as the final weeks of classes come to an end, registration for the upcoming semester begins, and summer plans are finalized! Continue to check this post throughout the month for important deadlines, events, and other information!

April 1:  LexScholars 2022 Summer Program – Be sure to check out the Access Lex – Lex Scholars summer program.  This is an excellent resources for students planning on starting law school in Fall 2023 and planning on an upcoming LSAT!  Spots are filled on a first-come, first-selected basis.  Apply early!

April 1: REMINDER – SEAT DEPOSITS:  If you applied this application cycle please be sure to mark your seat deposit deadlines on your calendar as many will be upcoming in the month of April and dates will vary between institutions.  Do not let these critical dates pass without action for the school you wish to attend. 

April 4: UIUC Counseling Center– Test Anxiety Workshop at 4:00 pm via Zoom. Click here for additional information.

April 5: NISP Fulbright Scholarship Information Session at 1092 Lincoln Hall at 3:30 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 5: PLAS Workshop – Application Roadmap at 4:00 pm. Registration closes on Monday, April 4, at 11:59 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 5: The Career Center “Career Fair Preparation (In-Person)” The Career Center Conference Room 143 at 5:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 5: Counseling Center’s Tuesday @ 7 Series “Managing the Harmful Effects of Social Media” Lincoln Hall 1022 at 7:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 6: NISP Program Fulbright Scholarship Information Session via Zoom at 8:30 am. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 6: AccessLex “Choosing a Law School” Webinar at 5:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here. 

April 7: Registration Deadline! Last day to apply for the Illinois Leadership Center’s “Blended Petullo Insight i-Program” on Tuesday, April 19th at 5:00 pm. For additional information or to apply, click here.

April 7: Virtual All-Campus Career and Internship Fair at 12:00 pm. For additional information about this opportunity or to register, visit Handshake. 

April 7: NISP Fulbright Scholarship Information Session via Zoom at 12:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 8: Application Deadline! Last day to apply for an ISSS NISE Student Worker Position. For additional information or to apply, click here.

April 10: PLAS Deadline! Summer LSAT Study Group Sign-Ups End!  Click here to sign-up for a group!

April 11: National and International Scholarships Program Fulbright Personal Statement Workshop via Zoom at 12:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 11: The Career Center “Finding an Internship (In-Person)” The Career Center Conference Room 143 at 5:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 12: TestMasters “Logical Reasoning Workshop” via Zoom at 6:00 pm. For additional information and to register, click here.

April 12: AccessLex “Applying to Law School” Webinar at 3:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 12: College of Media Webinar- “Media and Law” at 7:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register for this event, click here.

April 12: Counseling Center’s Tuesday @ 7 Series “Don’t Be Shocked… It’s Culture” Noyes 157 at 7:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 13: Writers Workshop “Effective Cover Letters for Job Applications” at 1:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 13: PLAS Event- Pre-Law 101: Session 1 at 5:00 pm. Registration closes on Tuesday, April 12, at 11:59 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 13: AccessLex “Paying for Law School” Webinar at 7:00 pm CST. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 13: Legal Humanities Lecture with exoneree and best-selling author Anthony Ray Hinton at the I-Hotel at 7:30 pm. For additional information about this event, click here.

April 14: LSAC LawHub Webinar Series “About the LSAT: An Insider’s Look” at 1:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 14: NISP Fulbright Personal Statement Workshop 514 IUB at 3:30 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 15: Application Deadline! Last day to apply for a Summer 2022 Illinois Student Admissions Representative (I STAR) position for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. For additional information or to apply, click here.

April 19: Writers Workshop “Networking & Job Search Writing” at 12:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 19: Illinois Leadership Center “Blended Petullo Insight i-Program” at 5:00 pm. For additional information about this program or to register, click here. Registration closes on April 7th.

April 19: Counseling Center’s Tuesday @ 7 Series “Substitutes for Substance Use” Gregory Hall 311 at 7:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 20: Application Deadline! Last day to apply for the 2022 Michael Curry Summer Internship. For additional information or to apply, click here.

April 20: LSAC LawHub Webinar Series “Strategies for Success in Law School” at 1:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 20: PLAS Event- Pre-Law 101: Session 2 at 5:00 pm. Registration closes on Tuesday, April 19, at 11:59 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 21: The Career Center “Rock Your Profile with LinkedIn” at 2:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register, visit Handshake.

April 21: AccessLex “Building Your Law School Budget” at 3:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 21: Writers Workshop “Curating a Vibe: Synthesizing Sources in Academic Papers” at 5:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 21: Roosevelt University Online Paralegal Studies Program Information Session at 6:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 22: Application Deadline! Last day to apply for the Pre-Law Advising Services (PLAS) & National and International Scholarships Program (NIS) Marketing & Communications Internship for the Fall 2022 Semester. To apply, email your resume, cover letter, and a short writing sample (no more than 500 words) to Megan Pickens, mpickens@illinois.edu, with the subject line: “comm intern”.

April 22: Career Center Insiders Panel: “Advancing Public Health and Social Justice” at 12:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 25: PLAS Workshop- Application Roadmap at 5:00 pm. Registration closes on Sunday, April 24, at 11:59 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 26: Writers Workshop “Giving Great Research Presentations” via Zoom at 6:30 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 26: Counseling Center’s Tuesday @ 7 Series “Burnout and How to Rekindle the Flame: College Edition” English Building 160 at 7:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 27: LSAT Deadline! Last day to register for the June 2022 LSAT. Visit LSAC to sign up.

April 27: Writers Workshop “Acting In-Class Essay Exams” at 6:30 via Zoom. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 28: LSAC LawHub Webinar Series “Making the Transition to Law School” at 1:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 28: AccessLex “Applying to Law School: A Strategic Approach for Underrepresented Students” at 1:00 pm. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 28: Writers Workshop “Researched-Argument Papers & Spotify: From Curating a Vibe to Synthesizing Sources” at 6:00 pm via Zoom. For additional information or to register, click here.

April 29: First day of the April 2022 LSAT Administration. Good luck to all of our test takers!

April 29: Humanities Research Institute “Legal Humanities Undergraduate Research Symposium” College of Law Building Room D at 1:00 pm. For additional information, click here.

April 30: Application Deadline! Last day to apply for the CLEO Pre-Law Summer Institute (virtual). For additional information or to apply, click here.