A native of Poland, Monika Wsolek has had little problem extending her legal career in the United States. Wsolek knew she would pursue medicine or law eventually — her mother and brother work in medicine, while her father, sister and grandfather (a World War II judge) served the legal field. Her inclination for research and writing, though, ultimately guided her to a legal career. "People think law is about court and rhetoric, but writing is just as important," she explains. "People get lost in the legal jargon, and I help them understand it."
While Wsolek was getting her undergraduate degree at the Krakow Academy Faculty of Law in Poland, she learned that her father's application for her U.S. green card had been approved. To meet the program's requirements, Wsolek traveled and worked each summer in the U.S. and eventually learned of Hofstra Law's master's program through the legal community.
When Wsolek started classes in August 2010, she was initially "shocked" by the Socratic method of teaching that so many American law schools follow. "In Europe, you sit and listen in class," she says, "but here, you must listen and then explain legal issues to the entire class. It's very stressful, but much more meaningful."
But her transition did not take long, and Wsolek feels like part of the school community. She also audits classes beyond her required courses to get more from her experience. She believes that Hofstra Law's faculty adds to this experience: "Professors are very approachable. In Poland, the teachers are not lawyers; they are academics who impart knowledge, but they don't interact with students. At Hofstra Law, professors are always available to talk."
