“As a JAG, I'd have the chance to serve both as an officer and a lawyer. It would be an incredible honor to serve my country as an attorney,” said Benton.
Benton became heavily involved in public service following his graduation from Pacific Lutheran University, at which point he spent two years as a member of AmerCorps. His time with AmeriCorps was a “life-changing experience” that offered him the opportunity to function as an academic tutor and mentor as well as a community volunteer.
Although the Washington-native had gained plenty of knowledge and life experience through his college experience and his time with AmeriCorps, he was ready for a change of scenery. Both Pacific Lutheran University, which is located in Tacoma, Washington, and his assignment with AmeriCorps in Federal Way, kept him on Puget Sound. “I already knew the Northwest. So when I was considering law schools, I wanted to go somewhere where I'd be far away and on my own; somewhere that would be an adventure,” said Benton.
He had not settled on a law school destination, nor had he really considered the
University of Cincinnati College of Law, when he received a phone call from Sarah Topy, a 2011 law graduate of the University of Cincinnati. By the end of the phone call, Benton had a destination. “She really energized me and got me excited about the school. She encouraged me to apply here and her phone call is the reason I did.”
Today, Benton continues to plan for his future in public service and although he intends to
service as an attorney in uniform, he notes that regardless of what he ends up doing, “it will be under the general category of public service.” He gets particular satisfaction from assisting underserved populations. “It feels really good knowing you are meeting a need that is too often overlooked by society in general,” asserts Benton.
