Tutors at Loyola University Chicago School of Law hold prestigious positions within the law school. After a nomination from a faculty member or through an application process, finalists are interviewed.
We asked a few of our current tutors to share their motivation for choosing this option for their second year and what they have gained from the experience. All three of these tutors are doing double duty by being a tutor in both the fall and spring semesters.
Why did you decide to become a tutor?
Erica Cribbs, 2L: “Because I liked the out of class interactions that occurred from having tutors myself. I always love seeing my section in the elevator and passing through halls, and hearing how they are doing with their 1L curriculum, as well as what they are doing outside [of] class to stay sane.”
Kate Gladson, 2L: “The advice that my tutors gave me about classes, extracurricular activities, employment, and law school in general was invaluable, and I cannot adequately articulate how much I appreciated their efforts during my 1L year. “
Jon Sheffield, 2L: “I decided to tutor because I enjoyed Civil Procedure and wanted to master it. More than that though, I looked forward to working with eager first year students, empowering them to learn as much as possible, and calming them about exams.”
What is the best reason for having tutors in law school?
Jon Sheffield, 2L: “Some first year students excel without using their tutors… They may interact with their tutors one or just a few times, but often that interaction is when the light bulb turns on. I remember that each time I went to office hours I took away a new understanding of the material, making connections I had not made on my own or in class.”
Erica Cribbs, 2L: “Tutoring is an important component of [a]successful first year primarily for the supplemental materials and academic support that tutors provide. I had so many questions during my first year of law school, and being able to ask my tutors for assistance not only furthered my understanding of the material, but also enabled me to discern whether not a particular question should be presented to my professor. Finally, I had several tutors that were incredibly helpful (even after their classes concluded) with advice about employment, extracurricular activities, and other law school classes. “
The law school community is a great support for all students’ success. The by-product of this cohesive approach to studying law is expressed by the responses to our next question.
What happened as a tutor that you didn’t expect?
Jon Sheffield, 2L: “Many of the first year students who I tutored joined the same public interest organizations as me. Because of volunteering and participating in events together, we developed a fantastic rapport. In turn, I think this made those students more willing to approach me with questions and this had a ripple effect with other students. I did not expect this. “I genuinely enjoy helping (or feeling like I am helping) others and assisting other students is inherently rewarding. However, I was really pleasantly surprised to receive so many thankful and appreciative emails from students during and after the classes that I worked with.
Kate Gladson, 2L: “My greatest experience was being asked to be a reference for an externship.”
We hope that you will experience this extra support while attending law school at Loyola Chicago.