Paralegal Professor Parses Passion
This story appears in the April/May issue of Area Woman.
Written by Samantha Grosz, MSU Moorhead Marketing Intern
Photo by Darel Paulson, MSU Moorhead Photographer
Graduates well-prepared to enter the world of law.
They don’t call her the boot camp drill sergeant of the paralegal department for nothing. Judy Streich, a professor at Minnesota State University Moorhead, earned the nickname for her intense assignments and thorough paper reviews. “I order red pens by the case,” Streich laughingly admitted.
Streich has taught the paralegal requisites, or boot camp classes, that focus on legal research and writing for 21 years. Students have four projects over the semester that require hours of research, writing, and, of course, revising. She meets with students individually for 30 to 45 minutes to review each rough draft. “I’m very thorough,” Streich said. “I provide a lot of feedback. Every red mark is an opportunity to make it better.”
Streich’s passionate red pen comes from her desire to see her students excel. “I don’t know any other way to do it,” she explained. “Legal writing is very technical. Students need help recognizing this through reviews.”
Some people love her teaching style but most bear it until the end. It isn’t until students begin careers or move on to law school that Streich starts to hear gratitude for her tough classes. “Many former students have contacted me to say how much my classes have meant to their careers,” Streich said.
One of those former students is Stephanie Landstrom, a paralegal at Vogel Law Firm. In an e-mail to the department, Landstrom said, “Judy was one of the most influential professors I had at MSUM. She would go above and beyond to ensure her students learned the concepts and were able to apply them to real-life situations. I can’t imagine a professor more dedicated to her students.”
Streich is only one of the many professors who have made the department a success. In addition to experienced faculty, MSUM’s paralegal program is one of 74 nationwide approved by the American Bar Association. MSUM’s bachelor’s degree in paralegal is preferred by employers over associate degrees or shorter programs.
“The paralegal department also has an active student organization,” explained Streich. Students volunteer and offer paralegal services to organizations such as the Dorothy Day House, Churches United for the Homeless, and the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. Required internships provide valuable practical experience before graduation.
Area law firms are also aware of the department’s strengths. “The paralegal department has a strong reputation in the community,” Streich added. Law firms often contact MSUM seeking graduates from the paralegal department.
Now, as another school year draws to an end, her accomplished students will move on to bright futures. And next fall, Streich will introduce herself to a classroom of fresh, new minds, who will become acquainted with the boot camp sergeant’s red pen.