|
Home |
Success Stories
After graduating from Saint Joseph's College, Blaire Henley '02 attained her law degree from Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington in 2005. Henley is currently an associate attorney with Ice Miller LLP, a law firm in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a litigator, she focuses on health care and risk management matters.
During law school, she won the 2003-2004 Sherman Minton Moot Court competition and served as the Chief Justice for the 2004-2005 competition. Henley was also a member of the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies and Christian Legal Society.
Henley's chosen major at SJC was not traditional for a future in law. She knew she wanted to pursue a major in Chemistry but did not want to work in a lab full-time. After examining her strengths and weaknesses, Henley decided to study chemistry and then attend law school. SJC allowed the pursuit of her unique plans.
"Luckily for me, I'm really enjoying the legal profession, and my Chemistry degree has turned out to be a great asset," she said. "My degree aids me in understanding scientific testimony and expert reports. Also, it taught me a different method of thinking and it complements legal analysis very well."
Henley initially chose SJC because she wanted a small, private college. After meeting the Chemistry faculty and receiving a Presidential Scholarship (SJC's most prestigious scholarship offering four years of full tuition), her decision was final. "SJC helped me achieve success by allowing me to pursue my unique interests," said Henley. "The professors at Saint Joseph's never balked at my desire to combine the somewhat divergent studies of History and Chemistry and always fully supported my desire to go to law school."
While at SJC, Henley served as Halas Hall governor and Student Association secretary. She participated in theatrical productions with the Columbian Players (SJC's theatre troupe) and sang the national anthem for basketball games during her senior year. She also participated in a campus group affiliated with Rensselaer's Trinity United Methodist Church, served as a Freshman Leader, and worked in SJC's Office of Admissions. Her time at SJC culminated with her being named SJC's Senior of the Year for 2002.
"SJC, particularly in the Core Program, requires you to answer the question 'why,'" said Henley. "It was never enough that I had an opinion; I had to be able to explain it and often defend it. The idea that "answers should be more than surface deep" definitely prepared me for my current position when I'm constantly crafting, and then supporting, legal arguments.
"Additionally, the studies of the Gospels in Cores 3 and 4 helped mold me into the person I am today," she continued. "I had to develop positions on the text and learn to defend them, and it was an eye-opening time for my faith. It was one of those times when you realize your faith is not something you've inherited or something you follow out of rote obedience, but something you've chosen, something you believe, and that's a very powerful experience at 20. It's shaped every decision I've made since then."
