MY SJQ STORY
“ I have greatly enjoyed my time working as a research fellow at the Stegner Center. The fellowship program has allowed me to take the more theoretical and abstract knowledge I've acquired in my law school courses and apply it to contemporary environmental and natural resources issues in a hands-on fashion. I think that having this more practical experience working with diverse areas of environmental and natural resources law has played a significant role in my development as an aspiring lawyer and has given me valuable insight into what practicing law after graduation might entail. Additionally, the staff at the Stegner Center have been incredibly helpful and, most importantly, have truly cared about not only my professional development but also my personal wellbeing. Overall, working as a Stegner Center research fellow has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my law school career.”
—Devin Stelter, Class of 2022
“The Stegner Center has played an integral role both during my time as a law student and in my professional career. As a student, I thought the Stegner Center faculty were excellent teachers and supportive mentors, and their classes provided a solid foundation in natural resources and environmental law. Beyond the faculty and classes, the Stegner Center provided an opportunity to befriend many classmates with shared interests, and these friendships continue to be an important part of my professional and personal community. Through the course of my professional career, beginning as an oil and gas attorney and now as in-house counsel with a renewable energy company, I have continued to return to the Stegner Center for its high-quality educational programming and community of colleagues, friends, and students.”
—Becky Johnson, Class of 2011
“It was a really exciting time in 1995. The Stegner Center was just getting started my 1L year with the first symposium that spring. The classes I was able to take over my three years, including public land law, mining law, administrative law, and the environmental clinic, gave me a solid foundation as I started my career. I got to know Professor Keiter, Professor Adler, and Professor Lockhart, adjunct professors like Clay Parr, and alumni like Steve Alder quite well and built the kinds of relationships with them that stood the test of time. Since I graduated in 1997 and have navigated the conservation community and broader legal field, it’s clear that the Stegner Center’s reputation has only gotten stronger over the past 25-plus years.”
—Steve Bloch, Class of 1997
“I like that the Stegner Center really strives to bring topical speakers to the law school. I went to a lot of the green-bag lunches when I was a student—and they still have them today! It helps students see a practical application of law and learn from actual practitioners who bring contemporary topics to the table. The Stegner Center has also allowed me to maintain a connection to the law school, as there is a different career track for academics and practicing lawyers. The more we can connect the law school with practitioners, the healthier it is for the legal community. Through its programs and symposium, the Stegner Center has kept a presence within the local legal community and the state of Utah.”