At Scripps, entering first-years have internship opportunities well before classes begin.
In 2013, when David Scheidemantle (P ’17), president and managing partner of Scheidemantle Law Group P.C., invited incoming Scripps first-year Jennifer Lee ’17 to intern at his Pasadena firm, he got more than just a summer’s worth of help. Scheidemantle and Lee developed the Scripps-Scheidemantle Legal Internship for Rising First-Years, a summer program that grants one entering Scripps student the opportunity to gain valuable work experience at Scheidemantle’s firm. Though only in its second year, the program is creating a community of interns to mentor each other during their time at Scripps and beyond.
The Scheidemantle family
Scheidemantle and his wife, Cheryl, are incoming co-chairs of the Scripps Parent Leadership Council, and they hope the program will serve as a model for other Scripps parents.
“Motivated and ambitious college students are facing an increasingly competitive market for internships,” Scheidemantle observes. “Providing students with a meaningful internship opportunity before they even begin their first year gives them valuable experience and a leg up on stiff nationwide competition for future internships. It is our hope that this program can be expanded among the parent community so that as many incoming students as possible can jumpstart their careers in this way. What’s more, this is a win-win-win for Scripps, the incoming students, and the businesses fortunate enough to benefit from their consistently excellent assistance over the summer. We are very excited about this program.”
Last spring, Amanda Wen ’18 was selected from a competitive applicant pool and completed an eight-week paid internship before her first-year orientation.
“What I liked most about this opportunity was that it gave me great exposure to business law and the ability to experience first-hand what working at a law firm is like,” says Wen. “I gained skills in legal research, data analysis, and interpersonal relations, which has made me a better student during my first year in college. For example, I am now able to synthesize information more effectively and introduce myself to new people with ease.”
Despite having no legal background, Wen worked closely with three of the firm’s 10 attorneys, who helped her quickly acclimate to the environment of the firm. As to what a typical day looked like, Wen reports, “I usually started off entering timesheets and filing documents. Afterwards, I completed various assignments for various attorneys such as editing legal documents, assisting attorneys with legal research, and reviewing insurance policies. Throughout the day, I reviewed my assignments with them and received feedback.”
“The lawyers I worked with gave me significant responsibilities, such as compiling and submitting documents to governmental agencies, locating and comparing codes of ethics for architects in several states, and preparing Excel spreadsheets correlating hundreds of product purchase orders, invoices, and order confirmations. They took the time to personally address my questions and clarify my assignments, which made me more motivated and more confident in the work I was doing.”
This spring, Wen will have the opportunity to participate in the recruiting process to select the next summer intern, working with Scheidemantle to review applications and assist with interviews.
“My inclusion in the hiring process is a testament to the responsibility and initiative David expects from his interns. My internship at Scheidemantle Law Group P.C. ended after eight weeks, but I will still be able to play a part in this program by serving as a mentor to future students.”
“Although I am not certain what field I would like to enter after graduation, working for a law firm has expanded my breadth of knowledge and helped me narrow my scope. Furthermore, being selected for this position has given me confidence in both my personal and professional life. I had never thought of incorporating legal studies into my life, but I have now become more willing to seek out different opportunities to explore my interests.”
Incoming students interested in applying to the Scripps-Scheidemantle Legal Internship for Rising First-Years are encouraged to reach out to Amanda Wen, Jennifer Lee, or Vicki Klopsch in Career Planning & Resources for more information.