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Megan Chapa: LEAP, South Texas College of Law, And Beyond

Megan Chapa served as a LEAP Ambassador for more than three years, filling the role of Vice-President, President, and Past President.  She also served as founding President of the Pre-Law Society, and she will be a 3L at South Texas College of Law this fall.  She volunteered to write this guest blog on her experiences at SHSU and as a LEAP Ambassador.

I am a third-year law student at South Texas College of Law Houston. I served as a LEAP Ambassador from 2014-2017 as I earned by Bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University. Those three years were the most influential years of my educational experiences, and the opportunities I was offered and the people I met as a LEAP Ambassador have served me extremely well in law school.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Washington DC
                    Chapa at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where she interned her senior year

 

As a LEAP Ambassador, I learned to not only balance my school, work, and internships, but also leadership positions.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Arkasas Supreme Court
                                                   Megan Chapa at the Arkansas Supreme Court

This meant managing my time appropriately. Thinking back, many of those days were similar to my first year of law school. I remember some days as a LEAP Ambassador, I would go to class in the morning, intern in the afternoon, and then, about three times a week, I’d attend one of the many programs we participated in or attend a community meeting.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, KSAM, Larry Crippen
                                     Chapa and Karla Rosales with KSAM’s Larry Crippen

I would get home with just enough time to study and prepare for the next day. Gaining the skills to manage my time, set me up well for law school.

I served as the President of the LEAP Ambassadors for a full year, a normal term for a LEAP President. During these times, I learned to sharpen my emotional intelligence to better understand how to lead others. I encouraged my colleagues to build on their strengths and work together on tackling the task ahead, and I also had key public speaking opportunities.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law
                                                              Chapa speaking in a mock City Council

I used similar skills during my tenure as a Mid-Law Senator for the Student Bar Association—South Texas College of Law Houston Chapter. As my experience in LEAP taught me, I did my best to use my strengths in my leadership.

One of my favorite memories as a LEAP student was meeting Michael Morton.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Michael Morton
                                    Alex Galvan, Michael Morton, Megan Chapa, and Kaitlyn Tyra

Michael Morton was wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife in 1987. After spending over twenty-five years in prison, he was exonerated of this crime. Morton spent some of his incarceration in a Huntsville prison. When I met Mr. Morton, he explained to me that it was his first time back in Huntsville since his incarceration. In that moment, I felt honored that the LEAP Ambassadors had arranged that, enabling him to return to the community under more pleasant circumstances and allowing SHSU students to learn from his experiences.

I did not realize that moment would only scratch the surface of how much it really meant to me. In law school, I learned the importance of the Michael Morton Act, an act that requires an open discovery process, and how this act has impacted prosecutors throughout the state of Texas. The fact that I had the opportunity to meet such an influential person in the criminal law community early on, made the world of difference in understanding the importance of integrity and pursuit of justice.

Of course, I had many more opportunities with LEAP, from traveling to other states, such as Arkansas…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Pinnacle Peak

…Missouri…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Gateway Arch
            Ryan Brim and Megan Chapa in one of the elevator pods at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis

…Georgia (and about twelve other states)…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Coca Cola
                    Chapa, Tyra, and Rosales visiting Coca Cola, with the Coca Cola Polar Bear

…visiting Presidential Libraries…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Lyndon Baines Johnson, LBJ Presidential Library

…meeting artists such as Richard Haas…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, Richard Haas

…and David Adickes…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,, David Adickes

…attending conferences with state legislators….

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,, Southern Legislative Conference, Savannah GA

…and even presenting at conferences…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,, ARKPSA

…and also doing charitable work, such as Huntsville’s “Great Muddy Escape”….

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,

…or public services such as our “John Wayne Film Festival.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, John Wayne

…and meeting attorney David Berg, who, at my first LEAP event, shared with us his experiences as a lawyer and his personal family history, including the murder of his brother, as he recounted in his book, “Run, Brother, Run.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law, David Berg, Run Brother Run

Currently, I am an intern at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office where I hope to be employed in the near future. Applying the time management skills, the leadership skills, and taking advantage of the connections I made with others as a LEAP Ambassador have made me the student I am today. I have no doubt that LEAP made a difference in my life. I am a better professional because of my experience with LEAP, something that I think can be said by all the students involved in the program.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Megan Chapa, STCL, South Texas College of Law,

Author mikeyawnPosted on July 12, 2019Format AsideCategories Art, Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, Fun, Law, Literature, Politics, Travel, VolunteerTags David Berg, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Megan Chapa, Michael Morton, SHSULeave a comment on Megan Chapa: LEAP, South Texas College of Law, And Beyond

David Berg Booksigning

David Berg has been an attorney for more than four decades, becoming an internationally renowned specialist in white-collar crimes.  But as he became more successful legally, he found himself reflecting more on the death of his brother, which occurred when he was a fledgeling Houston attorney in 1968.  Alan Berg was killed, according to David, by Charles Harrelson (the father of Woody Harrelson) but never convicted.

David revisited the events leading up to the murder in his non-fiction book, “Run, Brother, Run,” which received very favorable reviews by the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, NPR, and others.  He also dropped by SHSU to discuss the book and the murder with SHSU faculty, staff, students, and local citizens.

David Berg Speaking at SHSU
David Berg Speaking at SHSU

Berg mixed his presentation with a discussion of crime, law, family relationships, and boom days of Houston, Texas, providing substance for everyone in the audience.  Many in the crowd had their own recollections of Harrelson, who spent time in Trinity and Huntsville (in and out of prison).  Eventually, Harrelson was convicted of murdering Judge John Wood in San Antonio in 1979.  It was the first assassination of a federal judge in the 20th century.

Afterward, Berg spent time speaking with the crowd, giving encouragement to pre-law students…

Megan Chapa & David Berg
Megan Chapa & David Berg

…and, of course, signing books.

David Berg Booksigning
David Berg Booksigning
Author mikeyawnPosted on November 24, 2014November 24, 2014Categories Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, Law, Literature, PoliticsTags Charles Harrelson, David Berg, LEAP Center, Megan Chapa, Run Brother Run, SHSU, Woody HarrelsonLeave a comment on David Berg Booksigning

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The The Wynne Home Arts & Visitor Center had another interesting speaker, Michael Strutt, who spoke about the role of Texas Parks and Wildlife in conserving cultural artifacts. Thanks to the Wynne Home for bringing interesting speakers to the community!

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