Why Emily Mayfield Chose Capital

4/2/2019  -  Following graduation from the University of Akron, Emily Mayfield, L’20, began working as the legislative director/liaison for the Ohio Department of Public Safety Office of Policy & Legislative Affairs. In this role, she watched her supervisor attend Capital University Law School’s part-time evening program while earning a law degree.

Emily, whose undergraduate degree is in political science and criminal justice, began to consider the possibility of enrolling in law school while working full-time. She says she knew if she was going to do it, “it had to be Capital.”

“Not only is Capital conveniently located just down the street from my work,” Emily says. “They have an evening program specifically designed for busy adults that have work or other commitments during the day and need nighttime courses.”

While nervous about her ability to keep up with her demanding job and coursework, after the first day of classes, Emily never looked back. She says she’s always been one to seek new challenges. Growing up in Stark County, she balanced several advanced courses while participating in scholastic debate, French club, band, student government and various other organizations in high school. She even skipped lunch and study hall her senior year to be able to pick up more courses.

As an undergraduate at the University of Akron, she continued to take a heavy course load, was involved in leadership groups, coached high school debate, and worked two part-time jobs. When selecting a foreign language at Akron, Emily asked her academic advisor for the most challenging language program available and said, “Sign me up for that.”

At Capital, she has had the opportunity to build friendships with other dedicated students who work full-time during the day and spend their evenings ready to learn. Like most students entering law school, Emily had expectations of a very competitive environment. She was relieved to find out that her classmates were eager to help each other.

“Everyone knows that at the end of the day, the goal is to learn the law and be prepared for post-graduation and your career,” Emily says. “Capital students really embrace that sentiment.”

Her post-law school plans are undecided, but Emily credits the CapLaw faculty and staff with being passionate about their subject areas and willing to give students exposure to as many career paths as possible.

For additional "My Decision" articles, see Why I Chose Capital.