Major: Paralegal Studies
Brenda Medina always had a passion for law but was unsure of what path to take in the legal field.
Then she was introduced to the Paralegal Studies program at College of DuPage. Being a student in that program helped her develop a new appreciation for the law.
“I am beyond grateful to have stayed close to home and attend COD, because after graduating high school, I had no idea which career path I wanted to pursue,” she said. “When I began studying legal documents and rules I needed to learn before writing them, I knew this was the career for me.”
Medina was raised by her single mother and four sisters. The first in her family to pursue a legal career, she knows the challenge of making a name for herself and had to prove herself through her work.
“It has not easy getting myself through school financially or emotionally. I have had to work full-time and study full-time as well, but I know it will be worth it when I complete my studies and enter the career of my dreams,” she said. “My passion for law has only grown from the beginning of my first semester. I was so inspired by my teachers and all the resources we had at school that would grant us the chance to succeed. Furthermore, we were provided with so many resources to make us feel comfortable, which result in us wanting to stay at school for longer hours to study the course materials.”
Helping Medina grow professionally were the career fairs, field trips, the Paralegal Club, professional photographers taking headshots for LinkedIn profiles, and the Learning Commons.
“I have a fond appreciation for all the employees at the Learning Commons who helped me get through long nights of assignments and for being extremely patient with me as I learned,” she said. “When we had classes in person, we went on field trips to places which allowed us to see different positions surrounding the legal field that were not far out of reach, such as the DuPage County Courthouse and the county morgue. The Paralegal Club also encouraged us to attend weekly meetings with attorneys, judges, paralegals and others to go into greater depth about the potential job positions that we could obtain after graduation.”
While at COD, Medina received a scholarship through the Paralegal Student Emergency Relief Fund.
“It was the middle of the pandemic, and I was not making the same income as I had before. I struggled paying some bills and school supplies, so I applied for the scholarship. I was granted a generous amount that helped me get back on my feet.”
My teachers always allowed me to express myself during class discussions and the students were amazing at listening to all the opinions in the room.
Brenda Medina
After graduating with her Associate in Applied Science degree, Medina began gaining experience in the legal world. She has worked for an immigration law firm, subrogation law firm and a personal injury law firm.
Now at Roosevelt University, she is studying for her bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies with a desire to attend law school and become a respected attorney. Still unsure of which type of law to study, she knows she “wants to be there to help the people who deserve fair justice.”
Medina’s advice to students considering the Paralegal Studies program is to keep an open mind and not be afraid to ask questions.
“Law is ever-changing, and you will always learn something new,” she said. “That is the best thing about law: Everyone knows their interpretation of the facts until they hear someone else’s, which encourages deeper thought about the issues at hand. Personally, COD helped me gain all the confidence I needed to ask questions without feeling guilty for not knowing and helped me overcome my fear of voicing my opinions or ideas. My teachers always allowed me to express myself during class discussions and the students were amazing at listening to all the opinions in the room.
“COD helped me improve my skills that I carry with me to this day—being professional, open-minded, honest, fair and a critical thinker. I was blessed to have teachers who were not your average teachers. They were lawyers and judges who, most importantly, are passionate about their careers, and that made the world of difference to me. They really encouraged me to try my best to become a greater version of myself. I always hype up the fact that I had a DuPage County judge as a teacher, so why would anyone ever want to miss that chance?
“The Paralegal Studies program is lovely, to say the least. I am and always will be excited to share how amazing College of DuPage was for me.”
Learn more about the Paralegal Studies program at College of DuPage