Law Students

Should you run for a student organization board position? There are definite pros and cons.

Look at who is running and how likely they are to succeed in winning the election. Do you think you would be able to work together? Do you share similar visions? Organizations face the risk of falling apart if officers are in conflict. Student organizations are particularly vulnerable to petty politics because there is no one to supervise them, unless faculty advisors become involved in the process. For the most part, however, students often avoid going to faculty and choose instead to abandon post.

Taking charge of an organization is a tough job. You have to balance your schoolwork, rally membership, and coordinate efficiently and effectively. Who will pick up food? Who will book meeting room? Who will notify guests and members? What content will you present? How long should the meeting last? When the meeting is going on, who will conduct it? Should all officers attend or not? Who will do the clean-up and answer all the questions? These concerns need to be agreed upon ahead of time and carefully executed.

There are obvious advantages to being a leader for a student organization. Not only does your accomplishments appear on a resume, but you also have an opportunity to network with other students, faculty, and guests (usually professionals in the area). You learn how to handle conflicts, how to delegate tasks and decision-making. You are able to balance your schedule and coordinate events. This is a chance for you to develop your professional skills.

Interestingly, most 2Ls who served as officers stepped down from the position after a year or stopped participating in any student organizations. It is quite draining, after all.