Floyd McKissick '04

Law Student, UNC Chapel Hill

My grandfather was the first black person to go to law school at UNC Chapel Hill. So I grew up around the law, and I've always wanted to go to law school.

When my grandfather was appointed a judge in the 1980s, the family practice became my dad's private practice. I've worked summers there for years. Since high school, I've been drafting documents and typing up affidavits — it's been like my own personal internship.

Then, as a pre-law student, Guilford focused this knowledge in a growth environment. The whole student body is dedicated to political issues and social justice. And Guilford classes often relate to things happening in the world today, not just to history. For example, the political science department offers "Avoiding War and Making Peace" — a good class these days, for obvious reasons.

I also liked the fact that the professors have an open-door policy. At Guilford, you can go to their office anytime without being turned away. This makes the teacher-student relationship more like a friendship.

Then again, at Guilford, you can make friends anywhere, if you're involved. As a hall director and president of the student government, I met all kinds of people and really accom-plished things — like creating an official complaint form so student concerns can't be ignored by the administration. Plus I learned about communication and conflict resolution — good skills to have in my chosen career.

I'm looking forward to entering law school at Howard. When I become an attorney, I plan to pursue estate law or family cases including prenuptial agreements or child custody. The knowledge I've gained at Guilford and will gain at Howard are both vital in preparing me for this next step.

While some people say law is in my blood, I'd say Guilford is in there, too. Because when you leave, you don't just walk away with a diploma. You have an experience that guides you for a lifetime.

 

Guilford reflects the Quaker value of equality and tradition of consensus so that no voice goes unheard. Students like Floyd serve on decision making committees, including the Board of Trustees, which encourages students to practice and uphold the Quaker ideals.