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Tag: Belmont Law School

A Matter of Justice: Law with Judge Gonzales

March 31, 2022, Heather Barodi 

Every spring, the LEAP Center works with Lt. Col. David Yebra to bring in Judge Alberto Gonzales to speak with students, and every year the event is informative, entertaining, and rewarding.

Judge Gonzales obtained his undergraduate from Rice University and his J.D. from Harvard Law. He became the first Hispanic partner at Vinson & Elkins, Texas Secretary of State, TX Supreme Court Justice, White House Counsel, and Attorney General of the United States. He is now Dean of Belmont University’s Law School.

One of the things we learned, which might seem small, is that typically you refer to a person by his highest office. In Gonzales’s case, that would be “General Gonzales,” but since Gonzales was in the military as a Private, and because he doesn’t want anyone confusing him as a military General, he prefers “Judge Gonzales.”

Out of all the advice about life and law school he provided us with, the most impactful one was on how to approach difficult situations or problems. He told us that “if you ever go to someone with a problem, you should always have a solution.” Even if the solution is not the strongest, it is a starting point which can serve as a starting point for improvement. This advice is vastly applicable, whether it is a situation with our families, jobs, or even life changing decisions.

Of course we also enjoyed hearing about his time as White House Counsel, Attorney General, and Dean of Belmont Law. But it was his advice that likely stuck with us the most: “you should be happy when you are pursuing your career and navigating through life because you cannot be as helpful if you are not happy.”

We are very appreciative and fortunate to have been given this opportunity to meet Judge Gonzales and we hope to have him visit Sam Houston State again in the near future!

Author mikeyawnPosted on April 23, 2022Format AsideCategories Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, Law, PoliticsTags Alberto Gonzales, Belmont Law School, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Sam Houston State University, SHSULeave a comment on A Matter of Justice: Law with Judge Gonzales

Learning the Law: Former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Visits SHSU

By Sawyer Massie

For the fifth time in seven years, former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales visited the SHSU campus and spoke to LEAP Ambassadors and invited guests. As in the previous times, it was informative, educational and entertaining.

To ensure each student had a chance to ask questions and follow-ups, the event was limited to about a dozen students.  Christina Perez, Vice-President of the LEAP Ambassadors, led the meeting and began with an in-depth synopsis of General Gonzales’s biography. Humorously, she was cut short by Gonzales who said, “there’s no need for all that. Just play the video.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, Belmont Law School

What followed was a slideshow presentation containing photos of the former Attorney General’s adventures in the White House. After the video, we spent a long while listening to his journeys through politics, which touched on much of what the LEAP Center does: Law, Engagement, And Politics. In many respects, General Gonzales was the right person to lead such a discussion, having:

  • Served as a partner at Texas’s largest law firm;
  • Served as a Texas Supreme Court Justice;
  • Served as White House Counsel;
  • Served as US Attorney General;
  • Served as a Law School Dean at Belmont Law School.

What was thought to be a formal discussion ended up being a friendly chat with a seemingly normal person. What boggled our mind the most was how down-to-earth he was. Each time his accolades and awards were brought up, he would downplay them and encourage us that we could do the same.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, Belmont Law School

What he offered was encouragement, counsel to work hard, set high goals, avoid discouragement, and to choose mentors, but to choose them wisely. It’s advice that can be found elsewhere, but it was attached to personal stories that demonstrate that this can, in fact, happen.  Gonzales, for example, was one of eight siblings raised by hard-working immigrant parents, neither of whom ever made it to middle school, and for several years, he was the highest-ranking Hispanic official in the history of the United States.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, Belmont Law School

It was an enlightening afternoon, one that left us eager for Dean Gonzales’s next visit.

 

Author mikeyawnPosted on May 19, 2018May 19, 2018Format AsideCategories Civic Engagement, LawTags Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, Belmont Law School, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, SHSULeave a comment on Learning the Law: Former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Visits SHSU

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