THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH S.J. QUINNEY SCHOOL OF LAW — After being bullied for a speech impediment growing up, the idea of law school really scared Hilary Adkins. She wasn’t sure she could stand up and speak up, as lawyers are often expected to do. Along with a fear of public speaking, Adkins also felt like her identity was entirely based on being an athlete. But when an injury put an end to her water polo career during her sophomore year of college, she needed a fresh start. She decided to face her fears and apply for law school. After visiting the S.J. Quinney College of Law, she knew attending law school at the beautiful University of Utah campus would be the new beginning she needed. “It’s like a breath of fresh air, being here,” she said. Since it was a time for new beginnings in Adkins’ life, she decided to dive into student involvement. She was quickly elected to be the Student Bar Association (SBA) 1L Representative and continued to be involved throughout her three years at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, culminating with her election to SBA President for her final year at law school. “I’ve really found my voice,” Adkins said. “I’ve always enjoyed being involved, but I’ve never been the person in charge and actually running things, and it has totally changed me. I feel like I finally found my identity.”