Danielle Smart

Major: Criminal Justice
Hometown: San Bernardino, CA
Class: Senior
Program Position: Women’s Law Project Director | Community Legal Information Center (CLIC)

How did you first get connected with the Community Legal Information Center (CLIC)?
I chose to attend Chico State so that I could intern with CLIC. As a high school senior someone from the Chico State Success Center came and spoke to one of my classes. One of the programs he mentioned was CLIC, and I knew that I wanted to be a lawyer so it sparked my interest. I applied my sophomore year to be an intern in the Family Law Project, and I loved it so much I came back for another semester. It was during that second semester I decided to apply for the director.

How would you describe your role as the Women’s Law Project Director?
I am responsible for training interns, as well as assisting victims of abuse and harassment to complete the correct restraining orders. I am also responsible for creating outreach that helps spread awareness on our campus and in our community for various issues including domestic violence and sexual assault. As a director, I organize and run weekly meetings with interns, manage their schedules and keep track of the hours they have worked. Perhaps the most important duty I have is to organize outreach events that connect our office to the community and spread the word about the services we offer.

What does working for CLIC do for you personally, professionally, or academically?
Personally, I have grown into a more mature and understanding person. I have learned how to work better with others as well as how to build more meaningful relationships. Professionally, I have learned how to multitask, delegate and effectively communicate in an office. Academically, I have developed a research method that can be applied to all of my classes. I have also been able to focus more effectively.

What do YOU hope to bring to the table in your role at CLIC?
I am hoping to bring the Women’s Law Project closer to the other organizations in Chico that also provide services our clients may find useful. My goal is to make sure that we can make a complete referral to any client that we cannot assist so that they do not leave our office feeling helpless.

What are your career plans and how does your job with the Associated Students better prepare you for that path?
I plan to be a Judge Advocate General in the United States Army. My role with CLIC has helped me to pick a field of law to practice as well as prepare me at an early stage in my career for the type of research I will need to do. I am also used to working with sensitive clients face to face. In addition to learning what to expect, I have invaluable experience in preparing legal documents and training others as well as administrative duties such as keeping statistics of the clients we help.