When people ask me what my major is and then find out my career aspirations, they tend to have a confused look on their face. “You are a liberal arts major and you want to be a sports lawyer? Are you sure about that?” And of course, I respond with a yes and huge smile on my face.

For as far as I can remember, I have wanted to be a lawyer; but, it was not until I turned 10 years old that I knew exactly what kind of lawyer I wanted to be.  It was Sunday, October 26, 1997, when my family and I were celebrating my 10^th birthday.  It was not a typical birthday celebration, it also happened to be the final game of the 1997 World Series.

Glued to the television, we watched as Edgar Renteria hit an RBI (run batted in) single in the 11^th inning to win the World Series Championship!  The crowd on TV went wild and the excitement in the house was incredible. All of Miami awoke to the glory of the Florida Marlins: the people on the streets raised their Marlins flags while others drove around honking to celebrate the win.  It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a part of that excitement and passion.  However, I did not want to merely be a spectator – I wanted to be on the inside, representing my favorite baseball team, the Florida Marlins.

Now, that insight brings me to these two questions:

1. Can I still pursue the goal I made 12 years ago with my liberal arts education?
2. How can I use my dual major in Latin American Studies and Hispanic Studies to pursue that goal?

Answer 1: Yes, and that is the beauty of a liberal arts education at the Claremont Colleges – I am free to explore my passions (i.e. law, sports, history, and writing).  I am a huge believer that it is extremely important to take classes that I feel passionate about and will enjoy doing the course work.  Hence, this semester I have managed to balance my course load with all of my passions:

1. Politics & Law of American Sports – Law (check)  Sports (check)  History (check)  Writing (check)
2. Women & Public Policy –  Law (check)  History (check)  Writing (check)
3. Corporate Social Responsibility – Law (check)  History (check)  Writing (check)
4. Revolutions & Thought in Spanish America – History (check)  Writing (check)
5. Mariachi – History (check)

With all my interests covered, I can enjoy my courses and continue my journey to reach the next level, law school.

Answer 2: When it comes to academic courses, I do not just learn the factual information taught in a course, but I also acquire skills that are necessary in life after Scripps.  Hence, when I asked myself, if my dreams were at all plausible, I began considering how I could apply the skills I have acquired with my dual major to my dream profession.  Thanks to the CP&R Article, What can I do with a major in Hispanic Studies? I have been able to think about how those skills are essential to my future as well as how they have put me one-step closer to my goals. Here are just a few that I picked out.

• Ability to understand and interact effectively with diverse populations – A Sports lawyer needs to be able to interact effectively with diverse populations.  Did you know that 29.4% of major league baseball players are Latin American?  (ESPN )
• Ability to think logically and quickly and make analogies – A good lawyer needs to be able to think logically and be on their toes.
• Good listening, clarifying and responding skills – It is also extremely important to have good listening skills to better serve clients and that is definitely something I have acquired in my seminars.
• High proficiency in reading, speaking and writing – Lawyers spend a great deal of time reading and writing briefs.

I may not have taken the normal route of getting a major in Sports Management and Administration, but without a doubt, thanks to Scripps I know that I will be well equipped to take on challenges thrown my way.  At the end of the day, it does not matter what my major is as long as I do not lose sight of my goals.