News

In his orientation welcome, Assistant Dean of Admissions Johann Lee talks about the wealth of experience among our new students. Their extraordinary and diverse achievements, from working as a NASA engineer to participating in a 63-day bike trip across the country to raise money for individuals with disabilities, are sure to enrich the Law School community this year and for years to come:

Good morning everyone! I know a lot of you are experiencing a bit of confusion and bewilderment right now. Not because this is the first day of Orientation and the first day of an amazing journey you are about to take for the next three years…Not because you are wondering how to complete your assignments for CLR it's because you are thinking to yourself, Johann Lee…wow, that's not what I thought he would look like!

Anyway, for those who have met me, we probably met during either our Admitted Students Day or one of our many Admitted Student dinners across the country. At those events, I said that the spring was my favorite time of the admissions year because I get to put faces with names. You know what, I stretched the truth a little. THIS, today, is my favorite time of year, because I get to welcome you all to the entering class of 2006!

This year we had over 5,000 applications for admission into our JD program, which comes out to roughly over 120,000 sheets of paper in the back of the admissions office. And, believe it or not, we read each and every one of those 120,000 sheets of paper. This has been an interesting year in the world of Law School Admissions and several of you have a history with us. For example, we had one person who asked an admissions officer, “I hear that NU enrolls 1 out of every 20 students, are my chances better if I apply with 19 dumb friends.” We had another applicant this year that applied in December and was, by profession, a psychic. She wrote in great detail in her personal statement about a premonition she had…Applying to NU Law…being admitted to NU Law…and attending NU Law…We mailed her rejection letter in February. I hope she is attending law school this year, because she was not a good psychic! Another one of you went out on a limb in your personal statement to say that they would be the ONLY applicant this year to have written a short story about a sea serpent with Ronald Regan's head in the third grade. I want to assure that person, you were correct.

My purpose for standing up here is to tell you a little about…YOU as a class! You come from 120 different colleges and university from 33 different states. 17% of you are holding an advanced graduate degree. For undergraduate majors, 36% majored in the social sciences; 21% in the arts/humanities; 20% in Business/economics; and 23% in Engineering and the hard sciences. All of this in addition to the amazing academic credentials that Dean Van Zandt discussed earlier today. In the end, it really isn't about the statistics (as US News would like everyone to think). It's about the stories, it's about the individuals, it's about your classmates.

The second most asked question of me on the road is, “what does it take to get into Northwestern?” (For those who don't know the No. 1 asked question is "what is your median LSAT and GPA?) Anyway, my usual answer is that it takes strong academic credentials and a certain something else. The something else is really what makes an application special in our minds. As a class, you have a tremendous amount of “something elses.”

First: work experience. Seated among you is a former fact checker for the Encyclopedia Britannica, an intelligence analyst for the FBI, an former anchor for the Korean Television America Network; a fashion designer for a Brazilian label; a marketer for TIVO who also happens to be a professional stand-up comedian; a former reporter for the Chicago Tribune and Sacramento Bee; and the deputy managing editor for the Taiwan News.

One of you taught economics at Northern Kentucky University and Miami of Ohio. Another one of you was a former Assistant Professor at the City University of New York. One of you co-founded ScoutPro Technology, a software company for minor and major league baseball teams for use in talent evaluation; another one of you founded a company whose aromatherapy products made it into the birthday gift bags of Chicago 's very own Oprah Winfrey.

Two of you hold patents. One of you holds a patent for a device that helps therapeutic riders mount horses. Another of you holds two patents for fitness resistance applications.

Also seated among you is a former NASA engineer who worked on the Space Shuttle; a software designer for 3DO and helped design three different Sony Playstation Games; and the former Communications Director for the Chicago Public Schools and Director of Scheduling for Mayor Daley.

This is probably one of the most athletic classes we have ever had. One of you was a sailing instructor for the City of Chicago. Two of you ran Division I Varsity Track. One of you was the Colorado 5A Girls All State Tennis Champion and can now play doubles with your classmate who played Varsity Tennis for Washington and Lee. Speaking of W&L, one of you was a Lacrosse All-American while playing for Washington and Lee. One of you trained and competed in old fashioned lumberjack events. Two of you swam competitively at Brown and Duke respectively. One of you was captain of the University of Utah Rugby team. One of you was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All Academic Squad. Two of you played Varsity Soccer: one for Amherst and one for Colorado . We also have a former member of the UVa Gymnastics team and the former vice president of the gymnastics club at the University of Chicago . One of you was an Assistant Coach for the Northern Colorado Soccer Team. One of you played Varsity Volleyball for Yale. One of you was an all-conference water polo player for the University of Washington . One of you is a self-proclaimed 5'6” amateur boxer. AND one of you was the Stanford Mascot: the Tree. So even though we don't have a former NBA player like last year, I think we have quite a bit of athletic talent in this class.

We also have several serious sports fan. Every year we get personal statements and why NU essays which talk about the Cubs and Bulls (never the White Sox for some reason). However, there's one person in your class who has seen every single UT home game since 2003. And to that person, I really want to introduce you to your classmate who was a student recruiter for USC and signed an email to us with the phrase, “Fight on go Trojans!”

We also have quite a bit of music talent in the class. Several of you wrote about professional music careers and bands that you were in and tours that you did all over this country. One of you currently has a podcast available for download on ITunes. One of you was or is the lead singer of a classic rock cover band. One of you was a routine performer at Jazz clubs throughout Seattle. One of you played percussion for the Cornell Marching Band. One of you played mellophone for the University of Michigan marching band. Another one of you was a writer and played harmonica and trombone for the Stanford marching band. One of you was a bassoonist for the New World Symphony and a finalist for the principal bassoon position for the San Diego Symphony. Finally, one of you placed 2 nd in a college air band competition.

A few of you have spent time in harms way. Seated among you is a former in-flight refueler for the U.S. Air Force; and a person who served on both the USS Denver and USS Coranado. One of you served in the Marines for five years, including spending time in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. One of you lived on the Israel-Jordan border during the 1991 gulf war and watched missiles routinely streak across the sky while wearing your gas mask. Another one of you survived an explosion at his housing complex in Riyadh during the second Gulf War. One of you grew up in Nigeria during three dictatorships. While attending school in Lagos, was flogged by solders for walking in front of a set of soldier barracks. One of you worked in a way station on the Albania Kosovo border assisting Kosovar Albanian refugees. One of you was a Senior Bomb Technician w/ the University of Georgia Police Department Bomb Squad . One of you was a wildland firefighter for the National Park Service. One of you ran with the bulls in Pamplona , Spain . And lastly, one of you spent the summer as a taxicab driver in New Jersey .

In the end, going over your files, I was touched by the large number of you who have been involved with public service and volunteerism. Seated among you is a person who volunteered time in an orphanage in Bolivia .

Three of you started Not-For-Profit organizations: One to provide free eye surgeries to impoverished populations world wide; another to impart encouragement to succeed through education to high school students in the DC area. And the third, to raise money from US corporate sponsors for orphanages in China and the education of minority children otherwise neglected by the Chinese Government.

Three of you let your feet express your commitment towards a good cause. One of you completed the Susan Koman 3-day walk for breast cancer. The second participated in the “Journey of Hope” a 63-day bike trip from SF to DC to raise money for individuals with disabilities. The third led a Habitat for Humanity Cross Country Bike Challenge from New Haven to SF.

Three of you wrote in your personal statements about your concern for the homeless and the hungry. One of you, with a group of friends (not part of any formal organization), makes 30-40 bag lunches every week and distributes them in downtown Chicago to those on the streets. Another one of you from Los Angeles , kept a huge bag of snacks in your car at all times…so whenever you encountered a homeless person on your errands and commute around the LA area, you would stop…pull over…and hand them some food. Lastly, one of your classmates in college, before leaving for Thanksgiving break, by herself, prepared all the food in her apartment (including a turkey), bagged it up, included paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils, and took the food to a local park where there were those who were homeless and hungry… she then proceeded to set up a picnic in the park for everyone to enjoy… and sat down to break bread with those around her for an early thanksgiving feast.

Remember, as I said earlier, it really isn't about the statistics…It's about the stories. It's about the individuals…It's about your classmates.

Clearly, you are a terrific group and we're very proud to have you here at Northwestern Law.

To the student who was a former judge at the 2001-02 World Universities Debating Championship…to the student who won the 2005 Boston Globe Father's Day Essay Writing Competition…To the former Captain of the UCLA Lax team…To the student trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Thai boxing…To the student who was a member of the 2005 BET Awards Voting Academy. To all the students mentioned today…and those who were not (because frankly it's difficult to squeeze in 240 shout-outs in a 20-25 minute speech).

From all of us in admissions (which would be Don, Stephanie, Dimple, Courtney, Nicole, Orete, Charlene, Kara, Greg, Liz, Amanda, Heather, Anjum, and yours truly) best wishes to you all this year, and I hope you have a great experience here at Northwestern. Thank you!

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