>> I went to the University of Denver, graduated in 1982 with dual degree
in public affairs and political science.
My goal was to come here, go to law school, and essentially work
down on 17th Street downtown in a private firm.
That, actually, didn't happen for me, which turned out to be,
I think, the biggest break of my life.
I ended up going to the University of Colorado for law school,
decided against continuing at DU for a variety of reasons.
I think, primarily, because the University of Colorado offer to pay my entire tuition
for the three years of law school.
I figured, you know, if someone is going to pay you
to law school, might as well take that offer.
And I did very well in college.
I did very well in law school.
For some reason, I think, when I got out into the interviewing world, I did not do well,
and I think a lot of it was the fact that I was still fairly young and still fairly green,
had not had an opportunity or did not take any opportunities to really work
in my chosen my profession or even in just an office job or any sort of job
that would really help me to prepare for what I was facing in the legal profession.
I think probably, in retrospect, another thing that would've benefited me is a place like this,
a career services office that had this sort of opportunity where I could sit down
and watch somebody who's been through it or talk to somebody who's been through it.
An office that was very adept at getting people hooked
up with internships, with companies, opportunities.
That just did not exist for me at the time I was in school.
At least, I did not know how to make it happen for me.
So I ended up, sort of by default, at the City of Aurora,
and it turned out to be the right life choice for me.