Martin to Attend UMaine School of Law
Chelsey Martin, who graduated from UMF with a degree in psychology, is now attending the University of Maine School of Law, where six other UMF graduates (Greta Atchinson '06, Mike Burian '05, Amy Clearwater '06, Andrew Clearwater '06, Jordan McColman '05 and Elyse Wilkinson '06) are already enrolled. Martin has long envisioned herself as a lawyer and chose to major in psychology at UMF to support an interest in child-advocacy law.
"I knew every class I took in the major would fascinate me. Advocating for abused and neglected children requires an understanding of every facet of child development. For instance, recognizing the signs of delays in a child's cognitive development could reveal evidence of neglect at home," she said. "If placement of a child in a foster home is required, then it's critical to understand attachment theory in children to minimize the emotional impact of the change."
Martin participated in the honors program at UMF, graduated with a 3.8 grade point average and served as president of the UMF Student Senate. To gain legal experience prior to her first year in law school, she completed an eight-credit internship with Farmington area defense attorney Walter Hanstein, who serves as coach of the UMF men's rugby club. Martin's internship involved researching case reports as well as observing jury selection and plea agreements in the Franklin County Courthouse, a mere five-minute walk from campus.And proximity to Farmington's downtown was a compelling factor in Martin's decision to choose UMF over a private liberal arts college in Maine.
"I took calculus and a philosophy course at Colby College in my senior year of high school. I was accepted there, but the environment just didn't feel right," she said. "When I visited UMF, I fell in love with the campus and this perfect downtown. You can walk everywhere. The visit gave me a chance to take the temperature of the social climate, which is very relaxed. People here aren't trying to compete with each other. I think I took my academics more seriously because it's a low-stress environment."
