Katelyn Sanders ’17, a second-year law student at the University of Tennessee College of Law, and her partner, Elana Samuels, won best team after arguing a case in a mock trial before a Tennessee judge at the Ray H. Jenkins Trial Competition.
Sanders (left) first began toying with the idea of going to law school after taking a class on religion and the law taught by Dr. Dan Mathewson, associate professor of religion at Wofford. When the class took a field trip to see arguments at the Supreme Court of South Carolina, Sanders was hooked. “For me, studying religion was a way to better understand others and to make sense of societies and cultures,” Sanders says. “Being able to think critically about complicated and nuanced topics helped me tremendously as I transitioned into law school and began grappling with legal issues.”
Upon graduation from law school in 2020, Sanders plans to pursue a career in criminal defense.
“After interning with the Spartanburg County Public Defender’s Office during Interim my senior year, I was drawn to that work, something that has not changed since being in law school,” she says.
Even in Knoxville, Sanders keeps Wofford close. She and her Boston Terrier, Snyder, a name that harkens to President Henry Nelson Snyder, Snyder House and Snyder Field, cheer on the Terriers every chance they get.
By Kate Thomas