Chasing the dream: Jada Drees

Pre-Law and English senior Jada Drees reflects the past three years at UF as she prepares for graduation

By Kaitlyn Fisher, fisherk3@findlay.edu 

As graduation quickly approaches, senior Jada Drees looks ahead to the next chapter in her life. While she prepares for grad school, she is also taking a moment to reflect on the memories she has made during her time at UF.  

Choosing to attend UF was an easy decision for Drees as she quickly fell in love with the University’s small, yet welcoming, atmosphere.  

“Pre-Law [major] is what drew me to Findlay for a visit, but I also wanted the feel of a smaller college,” Drees said. “I thought I would thrive in that kind of environment.” 

Beyond the physical atmosphere, the University’s Pre-Law program was the main selling point. The program is one of the few Pre-Law majors in the state of Ohio, which offers students the opportunity to gain a broad overview of Law as a whole.  

“One of our biggest goals is the same as the University; to have meaningful lives and productive careers,” said Associate Professor of History Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan. “We want students to understand the place of law and what they can do with it even if they don’t become lawyers.”  

As a Pre-Law major, Drees spent the past three years working towards her goal of attending law school.  

“Right now, I am really interested in going into family law,” said Drees. “With my career goals I really want to keep my mind open and consider possible opportunities that I might not like but still want to try. Who knows it might open a new area of law that I like.”  

This open mindset encouraged Drees to add an English major to her studies. After taking an Introduction to Literature course for her CORE+, she discovered a hidden enjoyment of English studies. This passion for reading and writing is what eventually led her to joining the English program. 

“I was thinking about my future education path, and the Pre-Law major is very small, so I wanted to add a second major,” Drees said. “The English major popped up and the emphasis on public and professional writing goes right along with Pre-Law.” 

The emphasis on public and professional writing gave her the opportunity to not only express her love for English but also practice her writing skills. These skills will be critical to her future career. 

“Our goals in the English department are for students to have confidence in their craft and feel confident in their ability to work in their field,” said Associate Professor and Chair of English Dr. Sarah Fedirka.  

As Drees has worked hard to complete both of her majors, she proudly looks back on her determination throughout the past three years. With graduation quickly approaching, she reflects on some important lessons she learned while in college.  

“I feel like starting summer internships or jobs while in college is not talked about enough,” Drees said. “It is really important to start internships and thinking about what you want to do after graduation starting you sophomore year.” 

Looking back, Drees learned many valuable lessons she hopes to keep in mind as she moves on to law school. She also hopes future students have the same meaningful experiences and make the most out of their time at UF.  

“Do as much as you can on campus, especially during your last year,” said Drees. “I’m not saying you have to join every club on campus but just try to get involved.” 

Her professors echoed that advice, by encouraging students to pursue a meaningful college experience and take advantage of new opportunities.  

“We want students to be happy and want them to see that they have a future that can be a full of opportunities to do what they feel is important,” said Dr. Buchanan.  

“Keep yourself open to the unexpected and don’t underestimate your own abilities,” Dr. Fedirka said. “Spend time figuring out who you are.”