Where She Landed after Luther

“I went straight to law school the fall after I graduated,” Delaney says. “I recently graduated from University of Texas Law School and am currently clerking for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. After completing my clerkship, I will be returning to Austin, Texas to work in Litigation at Baker Botts.”

Meaningful Experiences

What stands out most to Delaney about her time at Luther was her J-Term trip to Israel, Palestine, and Jordan her senior year. “It was just incredible and something I never would have experienced if I hadn’t gone to Luther,” she says. “We did everything from spending time and having meals with local families to riding camels and snorkeling in the Red Sea!”

She also feels that the liberal arts education at Luther was also important. “I didn’t even think about it when choosing a school, but the well-rounded curriculum provided by Luther is so beneficial,” Delaney says. “The credit requirements ensured that I strengthened everything from my writing and communication skills to my analytical skills. I’ve found them to be very useful in my first year of law school.”

She feels these experiences help students figure out what they want to do, and more importantly, how to do it, after graduation. “The structure of Luther’s education encourages students to really explore before they graduate,” she says. “I was able to do summer internships, spend a semester in Ireland, a J-term in the Middle East and still complete my education in four years. The broad range of experiences helped me determine what I wanted to do when I graduated!”

Recommendations for First-Year Students

“Keep an open mind when it comes to what classes you take,” Delaney says. “I came to Luther thinking I wanted to do something with science because that was what I really loved in high school, but I ended up majoring in economics and anthropology and going to law school.”

She also learned that it’s important to take a variety of courses outside of what you plan to major in. “I took my first economics class because it was taught by a really great professor I had for my first year honors course. I ended up loving the subject, which I never expected.”

Delaney’s also thankful she got to know some of her professors. “There are some great people who teach at Luther and you can really learn from them outside of the classroom. They’re also willing to support you long after Luther.”