“Come to the edge” he said. They said, “We are afraid.“ “Come to the edge,” he said. They came. He pushed them…and they flew.” – Guillaume Apollinaire
As our very talented first year class enters their 6th week of law school, here are some thoughts I shared with them on their first day.
At this moment, your past scores, grades, and successes as well as your past defeats, failures, and mistakes are behind you.You get to choose how you start your next chapter. Your mindset is in front of you.
Your attitude will determine your altitude.
Believe in yourself. You earned this.
Remember your why. Why you chose this path.
You chose CSU Cleveland-Marshall because you wanted to be on the front lines, not the sidelines.
You didn’t just want to make a point; you wanted to make a difference.
You are pursuing your dream of being a guardian of justice by living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.
Our mission is to Learn Law, Live Justice. Just as the pandemic is testing how you learn law, so will the virus of hate and injustice test your resolve to live justice.
Change the way you look at uncertainty. Lean into it and embrace it.
So pivot. Turn this virus on its head.
Turn this crazy time we live in into a chance to hone your leadership skills.
To enhance your adaptability. To hone your resiliency. To get comfortable with the unknown.
You’re here not only to be a great lawyer. You’re here to be a great leader.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay Committed to Living Justice.
Have a great day. Have a great week.
For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages.
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My best,
Lee
Lee Fisher
Dean, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law | Cleveland State University
Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law