The Value of Career Exploration

As part of our “Where Law Meets Business” philosophy—which focuses on preparing students to thrive in 21st-century practice—Villanova Law encourages students to explore a variety of practice areas and settings during law school. The more they know about their options, the more informed decisions they can make about their careers at the start. And for Christian Wynne ’18, taking Business Organizations unearthed a hidden passion for corporate law.

Wynne came to Villanova following a seven year career with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and the School District of Philadelphia. She had her sights set on a career in criminal law. In her second year, Wynne decided to enroll in the four-credit Business Organizations course as a way to prepare for the bar exam.

“People said it was a good course for bar prep, but I was terrified to take it. I had never taken a business course before,” said Wynne. But her fears began to evaporate as she tackled her first homework assignment—she understood what she was reading.

Wynne was further encouraged by her work with Professor Jennifer O’Hare, who “makes no assumptions where people are in their understanding of business. She starts at the very bottom. Then, as a class, she creates a foundation and builds upon it.”

“It’s such a great feeling when the lightbulb goes off,” Wynne continued. “Prof. O’Hare really awakened something in me. I felt connected to and engaged with the material. I participated in class in a way that I had never before. Out of all the classes I’ve taken, this is the one that I understood from day one.”

Wynne will work this summer with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and hopes to pursue a business-related externship next year.

Career exploration also is built into Villanova Law’s Professional Development coursework. Each student is required to attend multiple roundtable discussions that expose them to varying practice areas within the legal profession.

“Whether she ends up pursuing criminal law or corporate law, Christian will be well-served by her experience,” remarked Jennifer Henfey, Villanova Law’s Executive Director of Career Strategy. “By embracing the opportunity to branch out, she will be able to make more informed, confident decisions about her career.”

“Criminal law is what I know and I’m familiar with it. But Business Organizations is an unknown that is really exciting to me. I am at a crossroads and I feel like that’s worth exploring,” Wynne said.