Hello, my name is Allison Courtney and I am currently a Junior at UMass Amherst. I am majoring in Legal Studies, minoring in Spanish, and getting a certificate in Professional Writing and Technical Communication. Upon graduation, my professional objective is to work in a law firm as an assistant to an attorney, or something of the like, and get a feel for work in the Legal field before I decide what interests me the most, and then pursue a career in that area. I traveled to Spain in the Summer of 2007 where I studied for a month. I loved the classes so much and the challenge of learning another language, that I decided to minor in Spanish. Because we were in class for six hours a day focusing largely on the language and culture of Spain, the program satisfied half the classes for the minor. I am now near completion of that part of my studies and able to converse and write in Spanish proficiently. In addition, living in Spain was a wonderful experience in itself, and I plan to someday go back. I have decided to pursue the certificate in Professional Writing and Technical Communication as well because I feel that being able to write professionally is an extremely useful and important skill to have.

Aside from my studies, I have two jobs on-campus and babysit. I absolutely love children so spending time with them is one of my favorite pass-times. I have been volunteering at Head Start, a nationwide non-profit day care program, for two years now with infants and toddlers. I find that the time I spend with them is always gratifying, and they are able to lift my mood regardless of how hectic and stressful daily life can become.

I am thoroughly enjoying my time here at UMass, but I am also very excited to finish my Undergraduate degree and enter the work world. I hope to delve into and explore different areas of the legal field, and find something that suits me well, while incorporating my Spanish, writing, and organizational skills.