Sophia Rivera

Majors: Political Science and Professional Writing; Minors: Spanish, Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Human Rights Studies 

Summer Law Intern, Law Office of Joe Holt 

1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity? 

I had reached out to numerous law firms in Chicago, expressing interest in working for one for the summer in hopes to gain experience and solidify my decision to go to law school after undergrad. After talking to friends, family, Purdue faculty, and other close connections about working for a law firm for some time, I had a family member inform me about an opportunity they heard to work for an attorney in the city who was seeking an undergraduate student intern for the summer. I reached out to the attorney, sharing a letter of interest and my resume, and was able to meet with him to discuss the position. 

2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals?  How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship?  

I have always been interested in attending law school, and wanted the opportunity to learn about the work that lawyers do every day in their field. I jumped right into this role, and was given a range of tasks to complete, much of which were new to me. However, my Liberal Arts education at Purdue prepared me with a strong background and diverse range of skills that I was able to apply to my tasks and make my responsibilities in this role easier to accomplish. Technical writing, analytical research, computer literacy, interpersonal communication, and many other skills I have developed from my coursework have helped me excel in my role as a Summer Legal Intern. 

3.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking for an internship?  

Network whenever possible and take advantage of the resources the Liberal Arts School has provided you! Making connections is an invaluable way to open doors for yourself. Attending career fairs, talking to professors, faculty, administration, or just putting yourself out there regarding your career goals can be a starting step in heading toward the career path you have always wanted. And when it comes time to demonstrate what you learned during your coursework, always be confident in showcasing your abilities and what you are capable of. 

4.) What specific responsibilities have you undertaken during your internship?

I have taken on a range of responsibilities in my role related to organizational management, technical writing, and interpersonal communication. Specifically, I have managed the communication between clients and the attorney’s, witnessed legal proceedings, drafted engagement letters and other legal documents to clients, filed and managed the organization of different cases for the firm, and conducted research on various legal matters. 

5.) In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participating in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development? 

The College of Liberal Arts has given me a diversified education that has supported me in taking on challenging tasks that seem outside of my initial educational background. CLA allows for students to learn about a range of topics and not just have expertise in one field but many! With this background, I can take on different responsibilities and find ways to accomplish tasks, even if I had little experience doing so in the past. The support of the job-ready program has allowed me the opportunity to accept this role and open the door for a new and exciting opportunity in my career path. Beyond the financial support, the general support from the Liberal Arts Career Center staff and Purdue faculty has shown me that this opportunity has important long-term benefits towards my career and future, and I made a great decision in taking on this role. 

6.) Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy? 

I am given the opportunity to truly see the work that an attorney does and be able to take on bigger projects. This has helped me reaffirm my motivation to go to law school and pursue a career as a lawyer in the future. I have been on the fence about my career path for quite some time, but getting to do hands-on work that makes real contributions to the clients has helped me see how much I want to do this as a career path in the future.