Making A Compelling Case

Erin Magoffie ’20 took advantage of multiple internships, research and study abroad opportunities to earn a prestigious placement at the University of Virginia (UVA) Law School. The work ethic instilled in her at Simpson has served her well in thriving among the best of the best.

“Simpson encouraged me to work hard in ways that some of my [UVA] peers don’t have to,” Magoffie says. “Coming from Harvard and Columbia, they enter the program thinking the name of their school speaks for itself. I’m not relying on a school name to propel me forward; it’s my experiences from Simpson that push me.”

Magoffie seemingly did it all at Simpson. She participated in numerous politically-focused internships, studied abroad at the University of French Polynesia and was one of just 10 students nationwide to earn a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Biosphere 2 in Arizona — the world’s largest earth science laboratory.

She also benefited from Simpson’s Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP),which included a role at Earth justice researching science issues related to policy and legislation, as well as lobbying.

On campus, Magoffie played soccer, competed in speech and debate, served as a student ambassador and held leadership roles with Tri Delta sorority. After leaving Simpson, Magoffie says she felt prepared to take on virtually anything.

Excelling with ease

“Simpson made me an incredibly well-rounded person. I can walk into a room and relate to most anyone there — and that makes me a really good candidate for a lot of opportunities.”

Magoffie’s latest assignment includes spending her Fall 2022 semester studying at the University of Paris II, recognized as the most prestigious law school in France. And that’s not all. While she’s there, Magoffie will also be working for NASA — taking on a groundbreaking internship role she created.

“I’ll be doing international relations and science policy work directly under NASA’s European point of contact, located in the U.S. Embassy. NASA has never had an intern in their Paris office, but when I showed them my experience, they asked Headquarters to make an exception.”

Promising post-law school path

After graduating from UVA Law in Spring 2023, Magoffie plans on working for Akin Gump Stauss Hauer & Feld, a large international law firm (once again, a self-created opportunity). After spending time in Akin’sWashington, D.C., office learning from the firm’s environmental law group, Magoffie will transfer to Akin’s Houston office, to start an environmental practice group for the firm in Texas.

Magoffie is clearly in the driver’s seat for enjoying a fruitful law career. She’s simply grateful that Simpson helped put her on the right track.

“Simpson can take you wherever you want to go, as long as you put the pedal to the metal and you’re the one to push.