| Mesa
State was not
the first stop or last stop in the higher education
career of 2000 graduate Jennifer DeCasper. But in between her
first college and her current life, Mesa State was the spot
that made the difference.
“I attended a pretty rough high school,” she explains,
talking about Harrison High School in Colorado Springs. “I
was 5’3", 75 lbs, and wore size 40 men’s jeans
and basketball jerseys… I knew I had to get out of that
environment and with the support and love of my family I was
one of the few graduates from H.H.S. that went to college.”
Following graduation at the age of 17, DeCasper started college
at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. It
was her first time away from home and the supervision of her
parents. While she describes her freedom and social life as
“wonderful”, she admits her grades were less than
stellar. “Realizing that this behavior would get me a
Pinto instead of a BMW, I decide to transfer,” said DeCasper.
“As fate would have it, Mesa State was the place for
me. My grades significantly improved, I became involved with
student groups and associations, and I had a very happy undergrad
career.”
If you ask Jennifer about Mesa State, you should get ready
to hear about Dr. John Redifer. According to Mesa State, Dr.
Redifer is an associate professor of political science and
chair of the department of social and behavioral sciences.
According to DeCasper, Redifer is the one person on campus
that EVERY student should talk with. Maybe she’s biased,
after all, he is the person she credits with putting her on
her current path.
“If it were not for him, I would not be where I am today,”
DeCasper said. And where is Jennifer DeCasper today? DeCasper
is studying law at the University of Michigan Law School in
Ann Arbor. Michigan is one of the most prestigious law schools
in the country and getting in is not easy. Out of 5,251 applicants
this fall, only 352 were admitted. The students who were admitted
had an average undergraduate GPA of 3.60.
Beyond good grades, DeCasper had experience and strong recommendations
to help her crack the door at the Michigan Law School. As
a student DeCasper spent a semester interning in the Washington
D.C. office of U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-Colorado). Dr.
Redifer arranged that internship. Following graduation from
Mesa State, DeCasper returned to Washington D.C. as scheduler
for Senator Allard.
“Jennifer DeCasper was an outstanding member of our
staff prior to her decision to attend law school,” said
Senator Allard. “She carried on the fine tradition of
hard work and dedication that I see in the many Mesa State
graduates working in my office.”
DeCasper smiles at the fact that Dr. Redifer is a former
head of the Democratic Party in Mesa County. It seems ironic
to her that one of the most conservative members of the Colorado
Congressional delegation (Allard) has an office nearly full
of Redifer-produced interns and graduates.
The respect that Jennifer has for Redifer is not a one-way
appreciation. “Jennifer will do well in law school and
in life for the same reasons that it was easy to find her
a good internship,” says Redifer. “Her positive
attitude, drive, and desire to succeed, virtually guarantee
her success.”
Law school is easily one of the most grueling mental experiences
a person can attempt. After learning in the trenches in Washington,
DeCasper is prepared for the tough days ahead. After being
accepted at a number of law schools, DeCasper choose the University
of Michigan. She liked the fact that Michigan has a great
campus environment.
“Although Michigan is one of the most prestigious law
schools, it also has an enormous amount of diversity,”
she said. “When I visited the law school, I noticed the
student body is one of the most welcoming communities –
there is no threat of competition among students and everyone
tries to help the other to succeed. You don’t see that
at too many law schools and I am truly honored to say that
I am a part of this community.” Jennifer hopes to be
practicing law in New York or California in ten years. But
that is exactly where she should be according to plan.
“When I was 5, I told my mom that I was going to be
either an Avon lady or a lawyer,” Jennifer recalls. “My
parents told me they would support anything I chose to do…
but the Avon catalogues mysteriously disappeared from the
living room table.”
If you ask Jennifer if she thinks of herself as a Mav, or
a Wolverine (University of Michigan), she’ll tell you
that she is both. “…But I will say that if it weren’t
for the Mesa State Mavs, I wouldn’t be a Michigan Wolverine.”
|
Taking
on the World
