Stephanie Nye
Director
1L Mentoring Program
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The USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law’s 1L Mentoring Program connects first-year law students with lawyers and judges who provide them with valued advice about their journey into the legal profession. 1L Mentors play an important role in the student’s development of professional identity by exposing students to the work that lawyers and judges do and the values and expectations of the legal profession.
Every first-year law student will be assigned to at least two professional mentors who they will meet with a minimum of three times during their first semester of law school. During these sessions, mentors offer practical advice, guidance, and support while also building the student’s legal community and strengthening their professional network in a positive environment.
The 1L Mentoring Program would not be possible without the support and dedication of the many lawyers and judges who volunteer their time each year to this program.
“The 1L Mentoring Program offered invaluable guidance from Columbia attorneys, helping me explore career goals, understand legal practice, and succeed in law school. My group, with two mentors and five peers, toured our mentors' offices and bonded over a fun bowling evening. These experiences fostered personal connections while deepening my knowledge of the legal field. My mentors were always available for support, and their advice greatly enriched my first-year experience.”
“I have participated in the USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law’s 1L Mentoring Program for many years now, and I always enjoy it. Each year, I am paired with a co-mentor to share experiences with law students ranging from law school studying and exam preparation to professionalism and networking in the South Carolina Bar. It has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience, and many of my relationships have continued well past my students’ first year and into their professional lives after graduation. I highly recommend it as a way to give back to the profession.”
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Hailey Floyd
Associate Director
1L Mentoring Program
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