During my undergrad at the University of Pittsburgh, I was part of a mentoring program, RISE, for underrepresented students. It was here I met Melissa, who served as one of my mentors. I liked Melissa because not once did she ever call me crazy because of my academic or professional goals (maybe Melissa had a little crazy in her, too). My January Spotlight, and VERY FIRST Spotlight for The Mahogany Tower is on Melissa. As a previous public health practitioner, and soon to be lawyer, Melissa is beating the odds and doing some amazing things.
We need people like Melissa. The academy is extremely homogeneous, as is the case with many fields that require an advanced degree (law, medicine, PT, Pharmacy, etc.). And the reality is we’re much less likely to pursue a career track if we don’t know of anyone else in that field. I think that has a lot to do with why underrepresented minorities tend to gravitate towards certain professions and not others. When you couple that with familial responsibilities and commitments, and knowing your parents won’t be able to help you if you make one or two bad career decisions, it’s easy to play it safe instead of going to law school, medical school, enrolling in a doctoral program etc., as you may feel inclined to do. I say all that to say that doing spotlights on students of color, like Melissa, is of great importance to improving representation of people of color, and minorities in general, in these fields. Without further ado…
MELISSA GILMORE FANN
Juris Doctor (JD), University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Master’s in Public Health (MPH), University of Pittsburgh
Bachelor’s in Chemistry and Psychology, Duke University
Q: From the outside looking in, you’ve had an eclectic career, transitioning from the field of health and science to law. What sparked your interest in doing so?
A: I was working in clinical research and was looking for a change. I began looking at various positions. Many of the ones that I was looking at required a JD. That’s how I got the idea to go to law school.
Q: My impression is that many students who go into law are from the humanities, social sciences, or sometimes business. Have you found students with your background, ie. the natural/health sciences, to be common?
A: Now it is more common for law students to come from a variety of academic backgrounds. There are a number of opportunities for students with STEM backgrounds, such as patent law.
Q: You’re a semester away from earning your 3rd degree. As a person of color, and as a woman in law, that’s absolutely astounding. How important of a role has mentorship played for you at each stage of your career development?
A: I have had many great mentors along the way. Some of my mentors have become great friends of mine. Some of my mentors have provided great advice about interviewing for jobs and internships and starting a new career. Most importantly, my mentors have given me advice about work-life balance.
Q: My intuition is both women and people of color are underrepresented in the legal profession. Did you find that played a role in your academic experience? In what ways, if at all, was the effect different on the undergraduate level vs. the graduate level?
A: Both are true. Women and people of color have faced challenges in the legal profession. This is one of the reasons that having a mentor is helpful. Fortunately, there are many people who would like to see this change and are working on just that.
Pitt Law has done a great job of supporting female and minority students in their studies and job searches. Duke also has done a great job of supporting female and minority students. At Duke, minority students made up a large portion of the student population. Now minority students make up over 50% of the Duke population. In an academic setting it is much easier to engage in productive discussions about diversity-related issues. However, in some legal markets, the diversity problem is so apparent, it almost becomes the elephant in the room and people almost have to talk about it.
Q: What do you know now that you wish you knew before starting your career in health and law? Would you approach any career related matters differently?
A: In some ways, I wish I would have gone to law school right away, but in many other ways I am glad that it worked out the way it did. I do wish I would have given law school more careful consideration in undergrad. I basically ruled it out because I was a science major.
Q: Because advanced degree programs are… advanced… sometimes life can be all/mostly school, and relationships can be strained. Indeed, many would say they’re better suited for single people. How did you juggle being married and being a mom with the rigor of the program?
A: I think that is changing as well. A number of people in my law school class are married/engaged/in very serious relationships. In a way, being in a serious relationship minimizes distractions and allows you to maintain focus. I enjoy socializing with my classmates, but I just don’t have time to do it multiple times per week.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: Hopefully I will be working as an associate at the law firm and working towards becoming a partner of the firm.
Q: Are there any career milestones you’re interested in achieving before you retire?
A: I would like to become a partner at the law firm that I will be working at. I would also be interested in a leadership position at the firm. After I “retire” from the firm, I would be interested in working in government or in a public interest capacity (i.e. a judicial position).
Q: I always find this question helps me get to know people better. If you weren’t in law (or public health), what do you think you would be doing instead?
A: I would probably want to do something related to sports. I have always been interested in sports and it has always been a big part of my life.
Q: Any words of advice for women or people of color aspiring to pursue a degree in law?
A: I would say… find good mentors, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, surround yourself with positive people.