Terry College alumnus and current law school student Marcol Harvey is committed to teaching young people who face obstacles that their dreams are attainable.
Hometown:
Box Springs, Georgia
High School:
Central Elementary/High School
Degree objective:
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Other degrees:
Bachelor of Business Administration in economics, University of Georgia (2014)
Expected graduation:
May 2018
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
After graduating from college, I was challenged by my mentor, professor Christopher Cornwell, to make a difference. I then returned home to work with the Talbot County schools. I worked primarily with Hawk Academy, an alternative middle school program. Having myself faced and overcome several obstacles presented by poverty, my primary objective was to motivate my students as I was living proof that dreams are attainable regardless of an individual’s current situation. I wanted to convince them that being in Hawk Academy was temporary, and that with God, mental toughness and a solid work ethic their lifelong dreams could still be obtainable. However, the Hawk Academy students and those students in regular school impacted my life more than I could have possibly imagined. As I entered law school, I knew that it was my duty to use the blessings that God had bestowed upon me to help not only my hometown, but those living in poverty across Georgia. That is when I decided to start the “One Smartboard At A Time” project.
A few weeks into my first year at Georgia Law, I had the opportunity to meet Dean Peter Rutledge. Dean Rutledge not only agreed to become my mentor, but encouraged me in my goal to donate my first smartboard back to Central Elementary/High School before fall 2016. At the end of my first semester of law school, members of the Georgia Law community agreed to match my contribution for smartboards. By the grace of God, I was offered a paid summer judicial internship by Judge John J. Ellington of the Georgia Court of Appeals. With my contribution, plus the matching dollars, this program successfully raised $6,500 and was able to donate three smartboards to Central for the 2016-2017 school year.
I’m also an editorial board member of the Journal of Intellectual Property.
Family Ties to UGA:
From 1992-1997, my brother, Derrick Byrd, attended UGA on a full athletic scholarship to play football.
I chose to attend UGA because…
I chose Georgia Law because of its reputation as one of the best law schools in the country. Georgia Law offers a high-quality legal education at an affordable rate compared to other top law schools.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
I have been a Georgia Bulldog football fan since birth, so watching them play between the hedges is always fun.
When I have free time, I like…
… visiting downtown Athens with my awesome law school friends Lauren, Davon, Taryn, Shayla and Zeelita.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
… walk almost a mile in the rain to attend the Alabama-Georgia game last year.
My favorite place to study is…
… the Alexander Campbell King Law Library.
My favorite professor is…
Professor Kent Barnett taught me the crucial importance of a sophisticated yet understandable contract that satisfies our clients’ objective goals while minimizing risks. Also, professor Elizabeth Burch taught me to think critically and understand the importance of how the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure can often be the most powerful component of a lawyer’s strategy.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
It would be my goddaughter E’moire Dewberry. She currently lives with my parents and attends Central’s pre-kindergarten program. Whenever I am with her she reminds me that life is more than work, power, money and success.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
… create an endowment that awards each year a minimum of 100 full-ride scholarships to individuals from low-income families who want to pursue their dreams.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to…
… send my parents and E’morie to view the Seven Wonders of the World.
After graduation, I plan to…
… pursue a career in litigation.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
… witnessing the tears of joy pour down my mother’s face after I graduated from the Terry College of Business. That moment is forever priceless.
