“We’re so excited you’re here,” Justin Cruz, TJSL’s Assistant Admissions Director told the students visiting the law school for two days of open house for admitted students on March 22-23. “One thing we are very proud of is the TJSL family feeling and we want you to be part of the family.”
The students got to tour the new TJSL campus on Friday as part of a weekend of exciting activities to help them to get to know the law school and find out if it’s a good fit for them.
“I love it,” said Andréa Simmons, a University of Utah graduate. “I moved to San Diego with the intent of coming to Thomas Jefferson.” Simmons plans to study sports and entertainment law and TJSL’s excellent program in this area is what drew her to the law school.
Simmons was part of a tour led by 2L Michelle Brown, a very enthusiastic and capable guide, who has mastered the art of walking backwards while talking. Brown, who obviously enjoys talking about her law school, gave a very realistic picture of what student life is like at TJSL.
“It’s great,” said Germond Patton, who is originally from Chicago and is now finishing up at San Diego State University. He says he “is really happy to have been admitted to TJSL.” Patton is interested in practicing criminal law, and Brown made sure he knew about TJSL’s Criminal Law Fellowship Program.
Patrick Hirsch, who graduated with a degree in politics from Pomona College, was not only impressed with the outside spaces of the law school but with the technical wizardry. “There’s a lot of integrated technology,” he said. “The school is so modern.”
Tricia Frost, who went to Cal Poly Pomona, agrees. “It’s a beautiful campus – so modern,” she said. “It’s much more tech savvy than I thought it would be.” She says her experience this weekend is definitely pushing her toward going to TJSL.
Jorge Valcarcel, who went to Long Beach State, was impressed by all the “positivity” he experienced on the TJSL campus. He’s a Coast Guard veteran and an able bodied seaman from his experience with the Merchant Marine. Not surprisingly, he wants to specialize in Maritime Law.
After the tour, the students got a true taste of law school by sitting in on Professor Steve Semeraro’s Property I class.
“It was really fascinating,” said Germond Patton. “I could really understand it!”
The students get to participate in daylong activities on Saturday to help them really get to know what the TJSL experience is all about.
