Featuring Sydney McKay of Humphrey, Neb., who is majoring in Criminal Justice.
When she was a high school freshman, Sydney McKay probably didn’t know a class debate about the Greeks and Romans would help launch her quest to become an attorney. The senior from Humphrey, Neb., who is majoring in Criminal Justice at Wayne State, is this week’s subject of the Student Spotlight Series.
“My high school history and government teacher is the first person to put the idea of being an attorney in my head,” said McKay, who also has minors in Pre-Law and Business Administration. “She said I should consider being one after that debate. I hadn’t considered being an attorney until that day. Many other things have since pushed me in that direction, but she was the first to encourage me.”
Thanks to Mrs. Deana Policky at Humphrey St. Francis High School, McKay is well on her way to becoming an attorney. A big thanks also goes to the Rural Law Opportunities Program (RLOP), a partnership between Wayne State and the University of Nebraska’s College of Law in Lincoln.
RLOP provides funding and support for prospective law students who are interested in working in rural communities of Nebraska. Students earn a full-tuition scholarship for their undergrad studies at Wayne State with presumptive admission to the Nebraska College of Law, where they can earn their law degree.
“RLOP is a great program,” said McKay. “RLOP has provided me multiple opportunities to tour the Nebraska College of Law as well as observe the Nebraska Supreme Court and Nebraska Court of Appeals when they are hearing cases. This program has helped me to financially and mentally prepare for law school. This support has helped me so that I can spend more time focusing on my studies. I greatly appreciate all of the support I’ve received to help guide me these last four years. I’ve also made some of my closest friends in this program.”
As she looks back on the past four years at Wayne State, McKay said she was very impressed by the support she received.
“I’m grateful to the Wayne State faculty and staff as I've continued my education here,” said McKay. “They have pushed me to be the best that I can be, and they’ve inspired me to be a leader.”
At Wayne State, McKay is active in the Criminal Justice Association, the Legal Minds of Wayne State Club, the Honors Program, Wildcat Catholic, Pi Gamma Mu (international honor society for the social sciences), and Phi Kappa Phi (honor society for all academic disciplines).
McKay will graduate May 10 and then attend the University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln. She aspires to be an attorney in a rural community someday.