Hello, my name is Jayla Anderson. I am a junior here at MSU and I’m majoring in Humanities-Prelaw. I always knew that I wanted to go to college to become a lawyer —it was my dream career. One of the main reasons I wanted to become a lawyer is because my father was incarcerated for most of my young life. It hurt that I couldn’t do anything to get him out, so I figured I could help other families experiencing the same pain. I wanted to help people and bring justice to the world. Another reason I want to become a lawyer is because the criminal justice system is very interesting. Learning new things about laws and how they are created and enforced really opens your mind up.
My last two years of college have been both challenging and interesting. One thing I can tell you about majoring in Humanities-Prelaw is to expect a lot of reading and writing. I have read more books in the last two years than I ever thought I would. My major focuses on philosophy courses, criminal justice courses, and English/writing courses. So far, my criminal justice classes have been my favorite, mostly because they focus on what I’m most interested in. I’m able to gain knowledge of laws and how the United States criminal justice system operates. I learned many different roles that play a part in the criminal justice system, including police, judges, attorneys, etc. Not only did these courses educate me, but they also helped me decide what type of attorney I want to be.
During high school, I attended a vocational school where I participated in a Homeland Security class. After graduating in 2017, I had the opportunity to intern for a law firm in Detroit, MI that summer. My mentor set me up with Todd Perkins, who is a black defense attorney with his own firm. During my internship, I had many duties. Some days I worked as a receptionist, while other days I did bank runs and filing. The most exciting part about interning there was the week I got the chance to sit in on a murder trial. As I watched Mr. Perkins working, it inspired me. I really hope to be in a courtroom and defending my client like I witnessed him do and win my case.
After graduating from Michigan State, I plan to attend University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, a law school in Detroit. This school is my first choice because they have one of the best law programs in Michigan. It is also close to my family. The best advice I have for anyone interested in Humanities-Prelaw is to stay focused. I know there is a lot of reading and writing, but it’ll all work out in the end. Don’t be afraid to ask for help because we all need it at some point. Do what interests you, work hard, and achieve your dreams.