The University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law welcomes students of all ages who meet the admission requirements. The average age of first-year law students this fall was 24. First-year McGeorge student, Roxanne Wright started law school at 19, immediately after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley.

Wright started the dual enrolment program in 2019 at Yuba College. Throughout all 4 years at Yuba City High School, she took four to six classes a year; graduating in 2023 with both a diploma and an associate degree in social and behavior sciences when she was 17-years-old.

“I really wanted to challenge myself and do it because it would get me where I wanted to be in life quicker,” she said.

Wright said she has always been a straight-A student, so for her, this was a way to put her knowledge to the test. Wright and 20 other students got into the dual enrollment program by writing an essay about why they wanted to join. According to Wright, she was the only one in her school who ended up getting a degree at the same time as earning a diploma.

“Generally, we have only one or two students (if any) who begin their law school career under the age of 21,” said Assistant Dean of Students, Community, and Belonging, Leah Adams. “This year, for the first time in as long as I can remember, we have a handful of students who are under 21 enrolled in our JD program.”

Wright got accepted to UC Berkeley in the political science program, where she was admitted at 17 as a "freshman with a degree." Her prior credits allowed her to graduate in two years with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.

She said she has always been interested in government but didn’t originally think about attending law school. She decided the legal route would help her attain her goal.

“Sacramento is where I need to be if I want to get involved in government work,” Wright said. “When I am old enough, I want to run for senator.”

Wright has always been interested in government and politics; working as a politician is her main goal in life. She hopes to intern with an elected official soon.

Wright grew up in an impoverished environment, so that experience has molded her into what she is today. She aims to focus her studies on housing equity and promote healthcare for all.

“Equal access to healthcare and affordable housing is what drives me to make a difference in equity for all,” Wright said.

Adding, the most conventional way to get out of poverty is to go to college, so that was a driving force for her. She is the first person in her family to go to college.

According to her, missing out on social activities in high school was the hardest part about achieving her degree at her young age.

“It was extremely difficult, and I missed out on a high school experience by taking these classes,” she said. “It was worth it for me, but it might not be the right path for a lot of other people.”

She says she has the rest of her life to do what she loves and is following her dream. She spends her free time watching movies with friends or playing games. She also enjoys writing poetry.

In her opinion, UC Berkeley and McGeorge are completely different universities in the way students interact with each other. UC Berkeley was competitive whereas McGeorge has been much more welcoming, instilling a sense of community on campus.

“I really thought I would not make friends or people would think I was not capable of what my peers can do, but it has been the exact opposite,” Wright said. “It has been fantastic so far.”

Wright was the first person that Jake Steinberg ‘28 met on the first day of orientation at McGeorge. The two became instant friends thereafter.

“It did not take long to recognize that her ambition and her desire to enact good in the world were the factors that led her here to pursue a legal education at the age of 19,” Steinburg said. “Roxanne is the first person to arrive on campus and the last to leave, never wavering in her dedication.”

The two are in a Tort study group with several other students. All first-year law students at McGeorge get assigned to structured study groups and pick a time every week to meet.

“I became best friends with my study group, we really mesh together and we meet every day,” she said. “They have been so supportive; we help each other out as much as we can.”

Wright thinks the students in the study group will be lifelong friends. She said all the students have strong personalities and love to argue with each other which according to her, adds to a better understanding of learning.

She is the youngest in the group, and the oldest is her new friend Steinberg (35). Coincidently, the two get along the best which Wright attributes to the range in perspective.

“Diversity in the age of our students is another great strength of McGeorge,” Adams said. “These younger students bring an energy and perspective to campus and the legal field that can motivate change and inspire others.”

She has enjoyed every minute on campus, but her favorite class so far has been Contracts with Professor Omar Dajani. She has really liked learning how things work in his class.

“I marvel at her wisdom, her generosity, her empathy and her desire to climb the ranks of society to become the type of person that can lead others,” Steinberg said. “I cannot conceive of a better student, leader, or friend; she is the best of us.”