Mariah Springs ’13: A curiosity for the law

Politics and law major says her interest goes beyond the question of right or wrong to delve into why people make certain choices.

During the college search, Harlem, NY, native Mariah Springs ’13 was looking for a small, close-knit campus environment, which she felt would be a nice change of pace from “The City That Never Sleeps.”

“When I visited Bryant, I fell in love with the campus and how nice everyone was,” remembers Springs, who also applied to Cornell, Temple, St. John’s, and Farleigh Dickinson. “I knew that this was the place I wanted to go, and the school’s reputation sealed the deal.”

Springs arrived on campus a week before classes started so she could take part in 4MILE, an orientation program for multicultural and international students, to help get acclimated to college life and the Bryant community.

“I made a lot of friends during that week, many of whom I’m still close with today,” she says.

Tell it to the judge

After interning at a law firm in Manhattan last summer, Springs knew she wanted to major in politics and law at Bryant. Her interest is rooted in the fact that the law transcends the question of right and wrong.

“It is easy to say that someone is wrong for committing a crime and deserves to be punished,” she says. “My curiosity lies in trying to find out why the act was committed.”

After graduation, she might go to law school or she could pursue another passion: becoming a political science teacher.

Her interest in poli sci has been fueled by one her favorite teachers, Assistant Professor of Political Science Rich Holtzman, who she says makes learning interesting and fun. “I love that he started every class with a few jokes,” says Springs. “It made the class a lot more relaxed.”

To support her efforts in the classroom, she has visited the Writing Center to get some feedback on her papers, and she has used the services at the Academic Center for Excellence to get some help with her economics classes

“Bryant has been nearly a perfect college for me,” says Springs. “I’ve made a good group of friends, and I have adjusted well.”

Always something to do

Springs found that the best way to became part of the Bryant community was to get involved on campus. She joined the Multicultural Student Union, the Alliance for Women’s Awareness, and a new Bryant dance squad, aDvANCEd Evolution.

Last month, Springs was a member of the Black History Month planning committee and she also took part in Extravaganza, the annual production that is the finale to Bryant’s celebration of Black History Month.

Beyond student organizations, Springs and her friends “pack the pound” to cheer on Bryant’s basketball teams, and she is a regular participant in the popular late-night bingo games organized by the Student Programming Board.

Each year more than 75 people contribute their talents to the production of Extravaganza.

“There are so many outlets that we can use to learn new things and express ourselves through the myriad of clubs that the school offers,” she says. “I guarantee that the more you get involved on campus, the more a part of the community you will feel.”

Springs remembers calling her mom quite often during the first few weeks of school to tell her all about her new experiences as a college student.

“It is impossible not to fit in at Bryant,” she assures prospective students. “There are so many different personalities that you are going to find the group that you connect with best.”