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Attorney By Attorney Career Profiles of the Profession Who? Roberta Sue Alexander Professor of History; Director, Prelaw Program Roberta.Alexander@notes.udayton.edu What? Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields: Professor; prelaw counseling. When? Years in Practice Area: Since 1972 Years in the Legal Profession: Since 2000 Where? Employer: University of Dayton (1) artssciences.udayton.edu/prelaw (2) homepages.udayton.edu/~alexanrs (3) academic.udayton.edu/prelaw Size/Sector: 400+/non-profit City/State: Dayton, OH Law School: University of Dayton Other Post-Graduate Education: University of Chicago, M.A./Ph.D Undergraduate School/Degree: UCLA, B.A. Why? Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: I love teaching and advising. First, I have an opportunity to challenge students to think in new ways, to hone their skills and expand their minds and experiences. Second, I have an opportunity to help students fulfill their dreams by helping them prepare for law school and complete an effective application. Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area: (1) I need to know my history field - legal and constitutional history. (2) I need to understand legal education and what skills students need to excel in that environment. Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area: Be the best you can be, while maintaining your integrity. Follow your dreams. How? Career Path to Current Position: After I received my Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, I began teaching at the University of Dayton. I was appointed a prelaw advisor early in my career, and I got hooked. I keep learning more and more about helping students. I now direct the Prelaw Program at UD, coordinating the activities of the program and supervising the advising work of eight faculty members. I also serve as President of the Midwest Association of Prelaw Advisers (MAPLA), an organization that, along with the other regional APLAs, continually trains and educates prelaw advisors at colleges and universities across the country. Influences and Mentors: My Ph.D.advisor, John Hope Franklin, served and still serves as an inspiration. He demanded that his students give their best, and he taught me how to lead by example. Bar Affiliations and Activities: Midwest Association of Prelaw Advisors - President 2002-2004 President Elect 2001-2002 Presented panels, volunteer at Prelaw Table at Law School Forums, 1994-present American Mock Trial Association - volunteer coach; member, Governing Board, 1996-present Advanced Placement Table Leader, AP American History Examinations, 1994-97 Reader, AP American History Examinations, 1985-1994 Workshop Leader for teaching AP History in the High Schools, 1994, 1995, 1996 Ohio Academy of History Chair, Book Awards Committee, 1992-93 Chair, Distinguished Service Award, 1990-91 Member, Executive Committee, 1987-1990 Recent Professional Publications: I am working on a history of the federal district court for the Southern District of Ohio, to be published by Ohio University Press. Recent Professional Presentations: Paper presented at the American Society for Legal Historians on women attorneys at the end of the nineteenth century. Memorable Career Moment(s): Getting thank yous from students. Intriguing Interests: Drinking wine & playing golf and duplicate bridge.