Cecrystal Umeugo almost never has time to study on the weekends. That's because she works part-time as a nurse in the Yale-New Haven Hospital cancer unit.

With an undergraduate degree in nursing and legal studies from Quinnipiac, Umeugo says she always knew she wanted a career that combined both of these interests. She plans to use her law degree and her nursing background to pursue a career in health law, including medical litigation and malpractice.

One of the reasons she enjoys nursing is because it gives her a chance to talk to people. "I like listening to people's life stories," she says. That's also one of the things she likes about the law--the opportunity to interact with clients.

This summer, Umeugo will complete an externship in the public psychiatric defense unit for the state of Connecticut, located at Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, where she will help to represent patients who have been accused of crimes. "Everyone deserves a hearing," she says.

Outside of work and class, Umeugo belongs to the Women's Law Society, the Black Law Students Association and the Public Interest Law Project, which holds an annual auction to fund stipends for School of Law students who intern at public interest law placements.

As a first-year law student, it's an ambitious schedule to maintain. "I have to stay very organized, very focused," she says.

Umeugo says there's "no comparison" between her undergraduate and law school workloads. In law school, "you can't cram for one day before a test," she says. "It's a different kind of learning. There is no right or wrong answer. There are always two sides in the law."

While her classes are challenging, Umeugo says she's found support in the tight-knit School of Law community. The second-year students will often lend outlines or a sympathetic ear. "We work together well. It's not competitive," she says. "People will definitely help you here."