Student Life

Meet the Ambassador: Maria Benvenuto

/ Rob Rossi / Leave a comment

Name: Maria BenvenutoMaria B

Year: 1L (Class of 2018)

Undergraduate institution: Villanova University, Class of 2015, graduated magna cum laude

Experiences between college and law school: In my summer between my undergrad and law school I led a group of twenty high school students from the Baltimore School of the Arts on a Habitat for Humanity trip to Durham, North Carolina. I have participated in a number Habitat for Humanity trips throughout undergrad, and so, it was very rewarding to introduce such a commendable organization to future volunteers.

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Meet the Ambassador: Daniel Fishman

/ Rob Rossi / Leave a comment

Name: Daniel FishmanDaniel Fishman

Year: 3L (Class of 2016)

Undergraduate institution: Washington University in St. Louis, Class of 2011, University Athletic Association All-Academic Team, Football (2007-2010).

Experiences between college and law school: For two years after college, I had a job in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, working on policy, legislation, and the state budget.

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Things I Wish I Knew, Vol. 14: New semester resolutions you should have (and ones you shouldn’t)

/ Charlene Ochogo / Leave a comment

Happy almost new year!

I find that this time of year, people generally fall into one of two buckets: what I like to call the Calvins of the world…

calvin-hobbes-new-years-resolutions

…and those of us who resolutely (heh) make a list of things about ourselves that we would like to change. If you’re anything like me growing up, you make your list feeling great about it  every December, then come February, you kind of feel the way you do when you’ve napped for too long: disoriented, vaguely angry, and wondering what the heck happened to you.

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Meet the Ambassador: Ryan Dougherty

/ Rob Rossi / Leave a comment

Name: Ryan DoughertyRyan Dougherty

Year: 1L (Class of 2018)

Undergraduate institution: Georgetown University, Class of 2011, three-time BIG EAST All-Academic selection as a member of the Hoyas basketball team.

Experiences between college and law school: After college, I got my Master’s degree in Government at Georgetown, with a concentration in International Law and Global Security. While in grad school I was a volunteer assistant basketball coach at Georgetown. Afterwards, I worked for a consulting firm in Washington, DC, advising clients on national security issues in the defense, energy, public health, and transportation sectors.

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Meet the Ambassadors: Andrea Clavijo & Lydia Bugli

/ Rob Rossi / Leave a comment

Boston College Law Ambassadors is a newly launched program designed to enhance the on-campus experience for every prospective student who visits BC Law. The Ambassadors are thirty students who lead campus tours, help out at Admitted Students Day, and serve as a resource for applicants and admitted students who are considering enrolling at BC Law.

In support of this role, each Ambassador will be profiled on the Impact blog over the course of the school year. If you are a prospective student and notice something about any of our Ambassadors that you’d like to discuss with him or her – whether it’s a shared alma mater, an interesting extracurricular, or an appealing summer job – do not hesitate to reach out. After all, that’s what we’re here for!

To begin this series, we start with the two students who developed and kickstarted the Ambassadors program: Andrea Clavijo and Lydia Bugli.

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Thoughts from a Double Eagle: We Are BC

/ Ryan Murphy / Leave a comment
2Ls (from left) Maria Colella, Ashley Gambone, and Margaret Capp ran the Red Bandanna Run with me on October 24th.

2Ls (from left) Maria Colella, Ryan Murphy, Ashley Gambone, and Margaret Capp, pictured with BC mascot Baldwin, ran the Red Bandanna Run on October 24th.

As I introduced myself to classmates, professors and administrators during orientation and throughout the first few weeks of 1L year, many of them asked where I attended college, or why I chose BC Law. I told them that I went to Boston College, and had such a great experience that I thought it would have been crazy, if given the chance to come back to BC, to go to law school anywhere else. I couldn’t even picture it. Their response was, more times than not, “oh, so you’re a double eagle!”

I had heard the phrase “double eagle” tossed around in college from time to time. For those of you who haven’t, members of the BC community affectionately call people with two BC degrees (including diplomas from BC High) “double eagles.” Similarly, the more exclusive “triple eagle” title signifies three BC degrees.

Being from New York, and not knowing many BC alumni, the term “double eagle” never seemed like more than a catchphrase used in the community. But as I get closer to attaining my second degree, it has become much more than that for me.

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Yes, We Go to School Sponsored Social Events: Halloween Party

/ Maria Colella / Leave a comment

Last year Halloween party was at Game On. I remember it as yet another fun night, similar to Boat Cruise, spent dancing and bonding with 1L friends. Halloween Party generally marks the transition from I’m just trying to keep up with my reading to I should start making my outlines. This LSA social event is thus very important. It is what you will look back on fondly when you’re day dreaming in the library in December and wondering if you have had any fun this year. Because of Halloween Party, you can answer your question with a resounding yes!

Another reason Halloween is an important BC law event: it signifies an important friendship milestone. Friends who are comfortable enough to dress up in crazy costumes and dance together, stay together. (Even once your costume changes from scary witch to scary, sleep deprived law student!) This year’s Halloween Party at Wild Rover was another successful event for the LSA special events committee, complete with the Peanuts, Lobsters, The Weeknd, A male Sandy & female Danny, Peter Pan, Ruth Bader Ginspurrg, Burt Macklin and Janet Snakehole (Parks & Rec), Bob’s Burgers, Gotham villains, Donald Trump and many more!

Everyone did such an amazing job with their costumes and instagram photos, the Social Media Committee had a difficult task in choosing the winners!

1L Winner: The Royal Tenenbaums

https://www.instagram.com/p/9e_OWqhw57/
Read on to see who won 1st and 2nd place!

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On Campus: A Dialogue on Gun Rights & Gun Control (Audio)

/ Sajid Shahriar / Leave a comment

As a 3L at BC Law, I am always impressed with our student body’s desire to engage each other on tough and important issues of law and society. Whether we are discussing matters of constitutional law, diversity and inclusion, corporate governance, criminal justice, health care, civil rights, or any number of issues, our student groups love to spark extracurricular debate and discussion.

One such group is the American Constitution Society, an organization dedicated to developing progressive leaders in the legal field. Yesterday, the BC Law chapter of the ACS hosted an event entitled “ACS: A Dialogue About Gun Control & Gun Rights” featuring Michael Ball ’18 and myself. This was a highly-structured dialogue that was intended to be educational, productive, and intellectually honest. Gun rights and gun policy are a sensitive issue, and our goal as a progressive student group was to make sure that we enter that policy sphere with as much education on the subject as possible.

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It’s Raining Mens Rea! Week 4: Singing in the Rain & Walk-Up Music Breakdown

/ Rob Rossi / Leave a comment

What is the worst thing about law school softball? The fickle weather. Sometimes, while we’re playing outside, it rains. Maybe one day scientists will figure out how to control rainfall, and lawyers will have to argue that controlling rainfall is totally legal, but until then, rain will continue to figuratively dampen our spirits and literally dampen everything else on occasional Saturdays throughout the season.

Thankfully, a certain team has a name and a theme song tailor-made for persevering through such stormy conditions. Both came in handy this past Saturday, as It’s Raining Mens Rea easily dispensed with its opposition on a cold, wet morning, and in doing so earned itself a most satisfying victory dance to that most appropriate theme song at the end of the game.

The winning effort and its accompanying soundtrack highlighted the importance of developing and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of a tough situation. Is this a metaphor for law school or the practice of law? Maybe. But more importantly, it’s a great reason to analyze the X-factor of a great law school (softball) experience, the individual walk-up music each batter chooses to play as s/he approaches the plate for an at-bat. A breakdown of some choice cuts from the members of the Mens Rea roster follow the break, along of course with your weekly standings update.  Continue reading →