NCCC Success Story

Hometown
New Fairfield, Connecticut

Degree programs
Graduated with a double major: B.S. Criminal Justice and Political Science
Currently pursuing a master's degree in Criminal Justice

Year of graduation
2012

Place of employment
Sumer 2012, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Middle East District, Office of Counsel, Winchester, Virginia

Job Title
Legal Technician

Work Responsibilities
I worked as a legal technician in the USACE’s Office of Counsel, which was in charge of handling appeals cases between the U.S. Government and foreign contractors in the Middle East.

I managed multiple case files, some in preparation for multi-million dollar contracts for government attorneys. Other case files required research into laws and regulations for attorneys so they could apply the legal framework to defend the U.S. Government and deny the claims of contractors. My main assignment was to be an asset for the attorneys so I also printed, scanned and organized documents to assemble case files. Each case had a substantial amount of paperwork and it could take up to 2 -3 weeks to complete a single case file.

My summer employment experience helped me get a part-time job on campus for this academic year. Currently, I am the 2013 Student Training and Academic Recruitment (STAR) intern for the Department of Defense working out of the NTID Center on Employment office. My job is part-time, and my purpose is to inform current students about opportunities for co-ops and permanent jobs with the government and assist them with the application process.

How my career relates to my degree from RIT/NTID
The research skills and abilities I developed in college were crucial on the job. I learned to do targeted research and this research training and experience allowed me quickly to grasp the essentials of what I needed to do in the counsel’s office at USACE.

Advice
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. It was a risk to move from Connecticut to Virginia for this job experience but the opportunity provided so much value. Just take the leap of faith that you will experience something you have never experienced before, and come out of it with a great sense of accomplishment.