“I am currently an investigator with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. If I have the opportunity I would love to be able to continue to work in state government effecting change one piece at a time,” says Harrisburg student Nicole Beck, adding, “I enjoy assisting my senior attorneys with their case loads. Prosecuting criminals, even with white-collar crimes, is more rewarding for me than defense work.”
“I have known since I was little that I wanted to be a lawyer,” Nicole says before relating the moment that she made her final determination; “I also had a lot of experience with local, state and federal government throughout high school through Governor Ridge’s Close-Up Program. In tenth grade I was given the opportunity to present Governor Ridge with a plaque to symbolize our appreciation of the program and while I was walking down Walnut Street in Harrisburg toward the Capital Building, I just knew this is where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do one day.”
As a student with a full-time job, Nicole wanted to find a small school that had a strong evening division program. “Professors at Widener are accommodating and very accessible. As an evening student I’ve never had a problem meeting a professor during office hours, sending an email, or actually calling them at home to discuss a concern,” she says, adding, “The Administration has also been eager to hear concerns and have attempted all that they can to make adjustments when needed to benefit all students, which is very important as an evening student.”
Despite full time employment, Nicole has managed to stay involved in the Widener Law community. She earned membership in the
Trial Advocacy Honor Society and is active in the
Women’s Law Caucus and the
Widener Law Running Club. She also appreciates “how active the campus is with charities such as Relay for Life and Wills for Heroes.”
Nicole advises incoming law students to “Get involved and meet people,” calling her experiences with student organizations “amazing opportunities to network and build my confidence.”
She also cautions, “The first year is rough and you have to want this to succeed. It is a complete change in lifestyle, so ask questions often; there are never stupid questions.”