LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Jason David, a senior history major with a law and justice minor at Rider University, has always had an interest in law and plans to attend law school after graduation.

After his internship in the Mercer County Public Defender's Office during the fall semester, David said, "If anything, this internship has made me want to go into law even more. It doubled my interest."

David, a resident of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, spent much of his time observing a variety of juvenile and adult court hearings as well as conducting research comparing different cases. On the juvenile level, he sat in on re-detention hearings and observed as the lawyer spoke to parents. In adult court, he sat in on pre-indictment conferences and observed several trials including one for armed robbery and another for welfare fraud.

"I developed a growing appreciation for how the law works and now understand the actual role of a public defender with their clients," David said. "I learned how the judge, prosecutor, and lawyers all work. I've also done a lot of research comparing cases and looking at briefs. On one occasion, there was a motion to suppress evidence. I was allowed to compare the public defender's and the prosecutor's briefs."

One of the highlights of David's internship came during a hearing he was observing. The prosecutor and public defender had a debate, and the judge asked to see both in his chambers. "I was allowed to sit in and observe," David noted. "The judge asked who I was, and he was told I was an intern. He then welcomed me. It was exciting to watch the process."

On another occasion, David had a polygraph test administered on him just so he could see how it works. "There has not been a dull moment in this internship," he said. "Each case is unique. It is all very interesting. I was never bored."

A resident advisor and president of the Rider Organization of Caribbean Affiliated Students (ROCAS), David came to Rider because he was interested in attending a college along the east coast of the United States. He saw a Rider viewbook and had an uncle living in the Central New Jersey area.

"The law and justice minor offers excellent advising and prepares you well," David said. "It gives you a feel for what law school may be like." He notes, in particular, the impact of two courses, Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties in the U.S., taught by Dr. Harvey Kornberg, professor of political science. "I was able to read cases and briefs and understand legal terms. When I sat it on the trials, a lot of what I learned came up."

Dr. Richard Burgh, professor of philosophy and department chair, served as his internship advisor.

Rider's law and justice minor combines courses in sociology, political science, philosophy, English, communication, history, and business policy as well as interdisciplinary legal studies courses. It provides students with in-depth knowledge of laws and legal institutions and their relationship to social, moral, political, and economic issues. The minor enables students to focus their study on specific career goals. Through this program students can prepare themselves for careers in the legal profession, criminal justice, business management, urban planning, health administration, public administration, or consumer advocacy to name a few.