小猪视频

Before she took her first class at 小猪视频, Rena McFall sat down and wrote out a list. It included the clubs she wanted to join and the awards she hoped to win 鈥� all while earning a degree in political science in just three years.

鈥淚 made this giant document of what I wanted to accomplish in college,鈥� recalls McFall, a first-generation college student from Bellingham who wants to work in international law. 鈥淗aving a plan with short- and long-term goals motivated me to get involved and push myself academically.鈥�

After just two years, McFall has managed to check plenty off her list. She is vice president of the Student Government Association, co-president of the and communications chair for the Mock Trial team that advanced to nationals for the first time. As a sophomore, she was named Emerging Student Leader of the Year.

The Honors College student has also found time to work as a communications assistant for the , a social media assistant for Student Life and Involvement and a Resident Advisor.

With minors in history and legal studies, it鈥檚 a lot to juggle. But McFall says living on campus makes it possible.

鈥淗aving that independence of living on campus, I feel like I can do anything,鈥� says McFall, who went from an 鈥淥K鈥� student in high school to a Chancellor鈥檚 list student (a GPA of 3.85 to 4.0) at UML. "Pushing myself academically in college has shown me how much I love learning."

Following her sophomore year, McFall landed a summer internship through The Washington Center in the nation鈥檚 capital. She worked with the Behavioral International Economic Development Society, a public policy think tank, and earned nine credits.聽

When the internship ended, McFall stayed in D.C. for two more weeks after being accepted into the TOMODACHI Initiative, a cross-cultural program uniting American and Japanese students. Her team鈥檚 nonprofit proposal, STEMINIST, designed to draw Japanese girls to STEM fields, won first place in the program鈥檚 design challenge.

鈥淚t showed me how powerful cross-cultural collaboration can be, and it solidified my interest in international law,鈥� she says.

Having spent her entire life in New England, McFall says her summer in Washington also gave her a broader perspective on the United States.聽

鈥淚 got to meet so many people from different states like Texas and Florida, and I realized that we鈥檙e kind of in a bubble in Massachusetts,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was rewarding because you realize how big the country is and you learn what鈥檚 happening in other places.鈥�

What鈥檚 on McFall鈥檚 list of goals now? She plans to earn a paralegal certificate in the spring of her junior year. After graduation, she wants to work as a paralegal, study for the LSAT and then apply to law school, preferably at Columbia or New York University. Her ultimate dream is to work for an international organization such as the United Nations, the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.

鈥淚鈥檝e loved every law class that I鈥檝e taken, and I鈥檝e never doubted that it鈥檚 what I want to do,鈥� she says. 鈥淓ven though American politics is interesting, I鈥檓 the most passionate about international politics and law.鈥�